Trying to over think the Overthinker...

I know that when you become a therapist everyone assumes that means you’ve mastered mental health and no longer should struggle. Well, let me be the one to tell you that isn’t the case. For as long as I can remember I have been trapped in my own head. I’ve dreamt of escaping my crowded city street of a mind. I think myself into oblivion and it has often stopped me from truly enjoying my life. I've always been an indecisive person because I put pressure on myself to make the right choice. Even when there is no right or wrong answer. In the past, my thoughts have stopped me from being happy in moments big and small, like buying a new shirt, feeling love in relationships, and letting the world see my true personality. There was a time in my life when everything was going great, yet I was still miserable because although I was physically living my life I was imprisoned in my own head. I know that this is not an experience that is unique to me, so if any of that sounds familiar… Listen up!

So how do you escape the prison of thought? Well just like any felon your time in prison will always have some effect on your life. So I’d be lying if I said I still didn’t struggle with overthinking, but what I can say is that I am free. The last time I checked we are not floating orbs of a skull, yet at times that’s what it feels like to be an overthinker. As if my entire existence was only from my shoulders up. When we disconnect from our bodies it allows our minds to run rampant, to get stuck in the vicious cycle of thought. When we connect to our body it allows us to check in to reality, the world, and most importantly ourselves. When we are in our heads it leaves nothing else to focus on but the rampant thoughts, connecting to our body allow us to find relief by shifting our focus to the tried and the true, the physical world around us. Sometimes the endless possibilities we can craft in our heads are exactly what gets to be overwhelming. Overthinking often stops us from being present in our life. Reality lies in our bodies and the world around us and if we are not careful time will pass us by while we are in our heads trying to predict what’s the best move. Overthinking can be a great tool that helps keep you safe both emotionally and physically, it just simply needs weight to stop you from getting too far in the clouds to the point that you can no longer see what's truly important.

So I challenge you the next time you feel stuck in that big busy noggin of yours, find ways to tether that knot to your body again. Go outside and pay attention to the details of nature. Go for a walk. Get your body moving and get jiggy with it. Whatever that means for you, find a way to feel like a whole person again. You are not just your thoughts, your anxiety, and your overthinking. Doesn’t it sound nice to just exist as you? Well, give it a try.