Did you know we have about 12,000 - 50,000 thoughts a day? Of those thoughts, 80% are said to be negative, and 90% are reoccurring! That's a lot of recycled thoughts + overthinking.
For most of us, we can get caught up in ruminating (thinking of the past), or projecting (thinking of the future). We overthink scenarios in our heads of what might happen, but never do. Or, maybe something happened, and we can't stop thinking about how we could've "done it differently". This is all normal! Our brains are just doing their job.
Sometimes, the overthinking can become too much. This constant worry can have a huge effect on our wellbeing, and even our lives. Overthinking uses a lot of energy for our brains to be thinking of scenarios, or what could happen. This may also lead to burnout, trouble sleeping, and trouble eating. In our fast-paced society, it's easy to get caught up in our thoughts. Luckily, we can use simple mindfulness techniques to help us go from overthinking, to the present.
1. 4-7-8 Breath: Coming back to our breath is one of the simplest, yet effective ways to become grounded. When we come back to our breath, we are able to calm our minds, and stop the overthinking. This breathing exercise is simple, and can be done anywhere!
How to do it: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. Try this three times, and allow yourself to be fully present. As thoughts come in, just acknowledge them, and return to the breathing. Notice your chest expand and collapse with each breath. By the end, you should feel more present and grounded. This exercise can be used when you're feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or just need to come back to the present.
2. 5,4,3,2,1 Exercise: This is another amazing grounding exercise that can be done anywhere! When you start to notice yourself overthinking, take a moment to acknowledge you are doing so. Then notice:
Do this as many times as you need to come back to the present. You can either think of these in your head or journal about it. Remember to give yourself some grace when doing these exercises, and that they take practice!
3.Yoga + Meditation: When we do these practices, we can calm the mind, and return to the present moment. Even a 5 minute meditation does wonders! Yoga will help you tune into your body, and get out of your head. When having a consistent yoga or meditation practice, you can prevent overthinking, and keep a calm mind throughout your day! My favorite meditation app to use is called Simple Habit. They have many different meditations for different durations of time. Give it a try! For yoga, I love to find videos on Youtube. My favorite is called Yoga with Adriene!
As life gets hectic and our minds begin to go into overdrive, remember these three simple exercises you can do. Show yourself some love and compassion when you start to overthink, and remember your brain is just doing its job! Remember to bring kind awareness to your thoughts, acknowledge them, and decide how you want to respond. You got this!