Have you ever had so many thoughts going around and around in your head it feels like there is no getting away from them?
Do you overthink and overanalyse things until you are overwhelmed?
Or have you become fixated on something and not been able to move on from it? Maybe an embarrassing incident - embarrassing for you, but probably nobody else noticed, for example?
So how do you get those thoughts to stop? What can you do to get them out of your head?
Here are 5 things that I have tried - hopefully they will work for you too.
1. Write it down.
Try making dot points of everything that is in your head.
If there is more than one issue in there, try writing down 3 things. Think them through, then write down another 3.
If that is all too organised for you and you can't sort your thoughts, do a big brain dump. Just write everything down - it doesn't have to make sense and doesn't have to be in any order, just get it all down.
(Grab one of our notepads to write all that stuff down - try the 100 Days of 3 Things for a semi-organised brain dump!)
2. Talk it out.
Catch up with friends and talk things out with them - just talking about what's in your head can help, as well as getting a different perspective and opinion.
3. Stay in the moment.
Shift your focus and start taking more notice of the little things around you that make you smile and write them down. Use your phone or keep a journal just for this - your list will grow quickly once you start paying more attention.
Take photos of the things you never really noticed before.
Write down your daily goals.
When the overwhelm starts, go back to your lists, photos, and goals.
4. Move
Get up, stretch, get a tea or coffee, take a walk outside.
Even better? Exercise! Go for a jog, go to the gym, get on your bike, walk, jump rope, do some yoga.
Exercise can help sort your thoughts out or change the focus of your thoughts to what you are doing in the moment.
And of course, exercise gets the endorphins flowing and makes you feel happy.
5. Challenge your thoughts.
Just because you thought it doesn't make it true! So sort out your thoughts - write them down in dot point - and challenge each one.
Is it really too hard? Was that situation really too embarrassing? Can you really not do it?
And remember things are not always about you. If those things running around in your head are negative thoughts because something hasn't happened on your timeline or as you planned, remember that there are so many reasons this could be the case. And 99.9% of the time it is not going to be about you!
For more ideas to look after yourself and take the time you need get yourself a set of our Memory Makers Self-Care Edition!