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Are you an over-thinker?
We are all guilty of assessing and analyzing data and wrestling through tough decisions. What happens to our stress levels when we take that to the agonizing extreme of over-thinking? Though over-thinking sounds like a better alternative than under-thinking, it can cause undue stress when racing thoughts turn negative. It can create a barrier that causes us to slow down, clouding our minds with unnecessary details and scenarios.
For some of us, a minor event can set off a chain of thoughts that send us plummeting into panic and assumption. If our thoughts were like tomatoes in a blender being mulled over – over-thinking is the difference between ending up with pizza sauce when you meant to make salsa – it changes the menu completely. Although we do want to ensure we are giving some things proper thought and contemplation, what’s the right balance of thinking and over-thinking? How do we avoid any undue stress that may halt productivity or our natural creativity?
Imagine... mastering the balance of thinking it over and over-thinking.
Group Activity:
Try This - The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems by Ronald D. Siegel
- After reading the book above (either in a group or individually) plan a group discussion on over-thinking. Talk through the following:
- How do you cope with stressful situations?
- What does it mean to over-think? How do we know we’re doing it?
- What does it look like? Can we recognize it in others? Can they see it in us?
- How do we get out of the loop of over-thinking?
Celebrate the difference you can make managing your stress levels when you manage your thought process!
Individual Reflection:
- Over-thinking steals us away from being present – it can preoccupy and consume us.
- Do you consider yourself someone that is an over-thinker?
- What causes you to engage in this behavior?
- Are others getting caught up in the swirl of your thoughts?
- How can you enlist someone to help without sucking them into your vortex?
“Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.”
– Bil Keane