How do you deal with overthinking and anxiety on a daily basis?
– A Travelista Trying To Put Down Roots!
Hello
Anxiety can be difficult to navigate if fed into rather than regulated. Here’s the thing: being an overthinker can be good. However, if you are ruminating and worrying excessively, you then have caused your brain to not trust itself.
Breathe. It sounds simple but a lot of us breathe in shallow breaths. I like to use deep breathing exercises. My reference point is the 5-3-7 Rule. When you find your anxiety coming on (or even when not present, get in the habit of practicing regardless), take a moment to ground yourself.
Breathe in for 5 seconds, hold it for 3 seconds, and then release it for 7 seconds.
Repeat at least 10 times or more if needed. With this, you prompt your brain and body to do two things:
- Slowly relax the physical manifestations
- Scan your body and notice any areas that may feel tense/aches
- Deep, full belly breaths help in focusing on relaxing these areas, decreasing muscle tension
- You’ll become so preoccupied trying to count, you find yourself shifting your thoughts into focusing on the present!
- Just remember to breathe out! ?
Also, if you don’t journal, I’d suggest starting daily and nightly journals paired with these breathing exercises when you wake up and before falling asleep. Writing things down helps in centering our focus, and if you find your thoughts becoming derailed in your entries, don’t worry about it for now; let it flow.
Daily and nightly journals can help clear the mind and help with decreasing the anxiety and worry; you’ll have externalized the difficulties rather than keeping them in.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON HOW TO DEAL WITH OVERTHINKING OR YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, THEN ASK DR. RUE?
Ask Dr. Rue is a weekly, anonymous advice column where your most vulnerable mental health + emotional wellness concerns are addressed. Do you have a question to ask or a situation to present, and wondering what Dr. Rue might have to say? Ask Dr. Rue here
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