Dear Eric:

I want to add to my point about thinking being beneficial vs overthinking being detrimental (the word “overthinking” is in the title of your thread, so it’s an important topic).

I read this morning an Aug 2021 article in a website called “Introvert, Dear”, it reads:

“The difference between thinking deeply and overthinking: Thinking deeply helps you move the needle forward in your decision-making. Overthinking, however, is about being stuck… The key difference between overthinking and thinking deeply is the way it makes you feel… When you are overthinking, you likely feel anxious. You may feel scared, shameful and scattered. It feels uncomfortable in your body, as if you’re a bit frantic and unable to breathe comfortably. On the other hand, thinking deeply is comfortable. You may feel calm, curious, and possibly even excited (depending on what you are thinking about).

Here’s an example… Let’s say you are planning a party… If you’re thinking deeply about the party, you may be considering the food choices that will work best for your guests… considering all your options in a logical and grounded way, you may even feel excited…

“Now, let’s say you are planning the same party, but you are overthinking. You keep worrying if the people you’ve invited will all get along with each other, if they’ll have fun, or if they’ll show up at all. You find yourself thinking about the worst possible outcome for this party, envisioning people being disappointed, or wanting to leave right away… In this scenario, you’re obsessing over what could possibly happen… you’re having trouble deciding what food to make for the party because you feel so frazzled and anxious. You keep ruminating on why it won’t be a good party, so you don’t have space in your mind to think about anything else…

“.. thinking deeply is more about quietly considering your options. It’s productive and can help you move the needle forward in your decision making. Overthinking, however, is about being stuck on a certain thought and continuing to obsess over it. It’s not productive, it prevents you from moving forward, and it usually makes you feel worse…

“Why do we overthink? … two primary reasons: * We’re stuck in fear, * We have a lack of trust in ourselves… When we are overthinking every tiny detail, we’re approaching the situation with fear. We’re trying to think about every possible outcome so that we can cover our bases in case the worst scenario happens. We’re just trying to protect ourselves, right? Right. But there are a couple of problems with this. First… we’re stuck in an anxious loop. We aren’t leaving space in our minds for creative solutions, or hope, or faith… Secondly, we can’t possibly think of every possible scenario. Sure, it’s great to have a game plan in case something goes wrong, but there’s no need for 489 different possible solutions. Instead, come up with 2-3 solutions to ease your mind, and then move on.

“A lack of self-trust is another key reason we get stuck in an overthinking loop… We don’t believe we are capable of making a solid decision. We’re constantly overthinking, asking for advice, and mulling over even the smallest decisions because we’re afraid we’ll make the wrong choices…

“How to overthink less and think deeply more?… * Meditate… Here’s a great meditation for overthinking (link provided) * Tell yourself a new story. When we’re overthinking, we’re usually just repeating a fearful story in our minds over and over again. Why not use the same brain power to imagine an outcome that you’d actually like to see happen? * Build your self-trust. One of the most simple ways to start building your self-trust is by keeping the promises you make to yourself. You have to show yourself that you are trustworthy, right? Start with something small, like committing to drinking 32 oz of water every day, and then make sure you actually do it. When you follow through on what you say you’re going to do, your self-trust grows, Try it!” (End of quotes from introvert dear. com).

anita