Speaking to my successful client who works in IT, Sandra (not her real name), I hear the apprehension in her voice as she admits that she is always overthinking. She works remotely from home, but worries about the water leak in her house, what her neighbours think about her new fence. To top it all off she can't sleep at night due to thinking about outstanding work tasks and her husband's deteriorating health condition.
This article addresses a real life example, it also shares my evidence-based approach and structure that my coaching provides which proved highly effective for this client. And now, I will share these steps with you, the reader.

Let's tackle the complexity of overthinking with a refreshing perspective. As a coach dedicated to empowering minds, let's redefine what 'overthinking' means to you.
Firstly, I challenge you to define for me
-What is the 'right' amount of thinking?
...seven hundred, one thousand, or perhaps sixty thousand thoughts per day?
If you are now contemplating that this is actually a rather 'impossible task' and cannot be easily answered, then you would be right!
So this begs the question, Is 'overthinking' really the issue here?
Or more to the point. Should we ask ourselves. "How can I think better?" rather than "Stop overthinking".
Let's face it, our worries and daily stresses are often the thoughts we are plagued with and would rather sooner than later forget.
That said, embracing your anxieties, fears and worries - is a sign that you care! Some rational thoughts are indeed valid feedback mechanisms for keeping you safe and therefore should never be entirely dismissed from the onset. It's actually healthy for our self preservation.
Although the 'law of reversed effort' as author Aldous Huxley can be applied to this example. I.e. The more you try to think less about something, the more you ruminate on it.
So consciously you know that resisting negative thoughts is a common struggle, so how do you divert your attention to something more desirable?
It's like focusing so much on dodging a raindrop that you end up caught in a downpour! Research shows that resisting unwanted thoughts only amplifies them, creating this idea being stuck in a vicious cycle.
Studies suggest that the unconscious mind does not differentiate between what you are actually experiencing and what you are vividly imagining. Research shows that the same neural pathways are activated when we visualise an action as when we perform it physically. This is why athletes often use mental imagery to enhance performance; their brains and bodies respond similarly to both real and imagined scenarios (Guillot & Collet, 2008).
This is neither good nor bad, but highly dependent on your quality of thought and the message your brain sends to your body to illicit a physiological response e.g. A threatening thought may lead to panic and anxiety as in contrast a pleasure thought may lead to relaxation or joy.
Furthermore, it is important to consider that amidst the sea of thoughts that flood your mind daily, the real challenge lies in understanding that the thoughts you are desperately trying to avoid are not fixed nor permanent. And this is a good thing! As now well-supported by Neuroplasticity research, studies suggest that our brains are adaptable and changeable (Kolb, B., & Gibb, R. (2011). Meaning that our brain has capacity for change allowing us to adapt to new experiences, learn new information, and recover from injuries.
So, this article will introduce you to my "Stop overthinking" as a re-imagined visual exercise to challenge old habits and thought patterns. With the aim to shift your focus from "avoidance" to "aspiration."
Instead of asking, "How do I stop overthinking?" consider re-framing it to, "How can I become more positive and intentional in my thinking?" And moreover. "How can I ready myself?"
Also known as a daily ritual, like in the example of athletes in the studies benefiting from practical visualisations based on the same principles through the use of both visual imagery and mental rehearsal to steady themselves before the race and focus on winning.
Let's discuss how you can apply this approach, by following my framework of practical steps to ensure that you get the results that you really want in your life.
Stop Overthinking (Re-imagined) Exercise
Follow the steps sequentially each day for the next week.
Clear Your Mind:
Engage 3-5 minutes in meditative breathing exercises or find out more about techniques like EFT (Emotional Freedom technique) and TFT (Thought Field Therapy by Dr Roger Callhan) to calm your thoughts.
Coaching Tip: Think of a relaxing environment, like on a beach holiday or focus on something that gives you comfort. Close your eyes if it's safe to do so.
Define Your Desires:
Instead of fixating on negative outcomes, articulate what you truly want in positive terms.
Coaching Tip: Replace statements of negation, "I don't want, or I want less of" with positive and affirmative statements, such as "I want to be confident, I am relaxed and at peace etc". Use positive words that fit right for you.
Visualise Success:
Close your eyes and vividly imagine in your mind the successful outcome you desire, engaging all your senses.
Coaching tip: This exercise is not about accuracy. This is engaging your imagination, so have a creative licence as we all do visualisation in our own personal way so there is no right or wrong way. Focus on the sensations, thoughts and feelings. Feel the gratitude of it going well and the desired outcome. This helps build a habit and sets success filters in your mind.
4. Celebrate Your Triumph: Immerse yourself in the joy of achievement through visualisation,
making your success feel real and attainable for you. Act as though you are saying "thank
you" for receiving your desired outcome, make believe that it has already been achieved.
Coaching tip: Again close your eyes if safe to do so and immerse yourself. Focus on the pleasure, joy and happiness, by shifting your focus from avoidance to embracing your aspirations, you can redefine and channel your thinking to manifest the positive outcomes you seek.
Want more information on how to do this effectively? Feel free to contact me.
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Author: Mark Tanchoco Reid, Founder of MTR Performance Coaching
References:
1. Smith, J., & Brown, A. (2019). The Psychology of Overthinking. Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 25 (2), 45-58.
2. Johnson, M., & Williams, L. (2020). Embracing Anxieties: A Path to Personal Growth. Anxiety Research Quarterly, 12 (4), 189-201.
3. Stevens, R., et al. (2018). Visualization Techniques for Success. Journal of Positive Psychology, 33 (1), 78-92.
4. Wegner, D. M. (1994). Ironic processes of mental control. Psychological Review, 101 (1), 34-52.
5. Guillot, A., & Collet, C. (2008). Construction of the motor imagery brain. Neuropsychologia, 46 (2), 447-461
6. Kolb, B., & Gibb, R. (2011). Brain plasticity and behavior in the developing brain. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20 (4), 265-276.
7. Trubo, Richard; Callahan, Roger (2001). Tapping the healer within: using thought field therapy to instantly conquer your fears, anxieties, and emotional distress. Chicago, Ill: Contemporary
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