Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.
– Mark Twain
I heard this phrase from another participant in a group coaching program a little over a month ago, and it has really stuck with me.
What lizards are you turning into dragons?
For me overthinking is what always leads to me turning a lizard, something small, minor, maybe a bit of annoyance, but for sure something I can handle into the fire breathing, huge, scary, dragon.
Have you experienced this? What lizards have you turned into dragons this week?
Let’s address the overthinking that can lead us down this road. Here are a few ways that we can stop our overthinking.
1.) Awareness is the first key. You have to know when you are overthinking before you can stop it. The next time you feel stressed or anxious or doubting yourself, step back and look at the situation and how you are responding.
2.) Once you have that awareness, you can reframe the question of “how much worse will it get’ to ‘How much better could it get?’ This is a subtle shift from a negative thought pattern to a positive one.
3.) Accept your best. Overthinking is often fueled by the fear that we are not enough or the idea that everything should be perfect. Remind yourself that you are always doing the best you can at that very moment.
4.) Practice gratitude. Shift your thinking to what you are grateful for, it might be the lesson you are learning from the situation, a person who is supporting you, or the new knowledge you are gaining.
Overthinking happens to us all and with these practices, we can ward off the dragon and keep the lizard.
Looking for more resources? Sign up for my FREE Burnout Recovery Reflection Journal.
awesoe