Overthinking and the Triple A formula
Dear Reader,
I have not assumed the role of a Coach because I am holier-than-thou. I have assumed it because I have crossed oceans where I thought I would drown but I swam instead, and now, I would really like to help others to come to the shore too - if they wish to.
SoulVersing with Sanhita is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
And one of those ocean is Overthinking.
Overthinking takes the life out of me. I can’t believe that once upon a time it was the way I majorly lived.
These days I can spot that I am overthinking and I “cure” it my way. That’s what my clients learn too. Eventually we all reduce the amount of overworking our brain does to keep ourselves safe.
You see the brain’s main agenda is to keep you safe because just like all the organs in your body, it loves you too.
And sometimes, owing to awful experiences of the past, the brain fears that you will repeat the same mistake.
So it -
Gives you flashback to the past bad occurrence.
Threatens you that it may repeat.
Urges you to take action so that it doesn’t repeat.
This in extreme cases, can be a symptom of PTSD - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.
In mild ones, it’s simple old overthinking.
You go into a loop where you try to predict all possible bad outcomes. You then think it over and over again.
And if it’s a bit more intense, you can’t move your body at all. You get anxious. You can’t get off the bed. Or you can’t stop circling the house in mental agony.
Overthinking has killed my time several times in life. It has ruined my mood. It has made me non-productive, confused, and looking for a savior. That damsel-in-distress part of me has been used for creativity and now put into my book Little Miss Happening.
And as much as we hate to accept it, the Antidote to Anxiety is Action. That’s the TRIPLE A formula.
I often feel like I make a fool of myself with anxious overthinking. Those are the moments when you need to be kind to yourself and your brain that has suffered and healed through a bad incident, i.e., trauma.
Thank it for its service. It’s just trying to make sure you are safe. That’s because it loves you, even if no one else does.
The next thing would be to move your body. Walk it off, shake it off, dance it off.
It would be great if you can go and touch some grass.
And lastly, if it persists, just do it - take the action anyway. This is why they say braveness is making that jump despite that fear, not in the absence of it. Take that leap of faith and be okay with suffering any negative consequences.
If it’s about sending a message. Send it and figure out the consequences later. It’s the least of your worries.
If it’s about speaking your mind, just speak it, and clear the mess later, if any.
People don’t sit around thinking about what you said. Mostly they are worried about themselves, as much as you are worried about you.
You have survived all of your bad decisions so far. You will survive this too.
And if it’s not about something as simple as a text message, take a small step, but do take action.
Want to create a new business? Write down the business model first.
Want to understand if your business would be viable? Do a small market research first.
Break down the elephant into small bite-sized pieces that you can handle. You do not have to climb the entire mountain on a single day.
I often become the child who would be saved by an elder sister or a mother or a father. I look around for knights in shining armor until I realize I am the adult in the room. No one’s coming to save me. So, I must save me.
I hate overthinking. I hate panicking and talking bullshit without pausing to take a breath. And this part of me awakens once in three months or so, before taking a big decision.
And I am only grateful for that, because once upon a time, it was the way I lived, all the frigging time. I wanted to be safe so much that I wouldn’t take a risk. That I wouldn’t take action at all.
I mean look at this - my book should have been written 13 years back, but I kept learning and relearning to perfect my craft. So, when my friend told me how she was rewriting her story, I told her to keep a deadline.
You will keep perfecting your craft for an entire lifetime if you do not keep a deadline. Because we keep growing every single moment, every single day. It’d be foolish to actively wait for the right time and skill.
Same is the situation with career choices. Talented people keep waiting for directions, for a sign, for one single life purpose. What IEEFF the purpose of your life was to live this one single moment to the best of your capacity? What IEEFF the purpose of your life was to be happy?
What IEEFF it is not about getting your career right but about trying different things and failing at it until you succeed at one?
Most successful entrepreneurs or business leaders aren’t people who always knew what they would be doing in life. They kept growing, trying, failing, succeeding and failing again.
And that’s the ebb and flow of life.
Lastly, I must add this - reduce that cortisol spike.
Instead of having one more cup of coffee or tea, try something more calming instead. Maybe a cup of green tea or a piece of dark chocolate or blueberry?
Cortisol is the stress hormone, and if overthinking causes stress and vice versa, guess which hormone would be at play! Have food items that do not add to your stress.
If it’s smoking you are indulging in, you would be more anxious as a result of it. Do not smoke that extra cigarette. Do not look for alcohol to calm you down.
It’s okay to have these for enjoyment but not when you depend on them to help you feel calmer.
Take a deep breath. Look at the greenery around you. Allow them to calm you down. I have done immense running around to get my career right.
And sometimes, when I watch TV or lay down on the bed in the day time to rest, the familiar feeling haunts me. It asks me - am I getting my career right? Am I doing justice to my potential?
And then I remind it - your career is what you make of it.
I haven’t read enough about Steve Jobs to admire him or hate him but I keep going back to this quote and I hope it makes sense to you too.
Love,
(1:1 consult calls are open for those who wish to transform their mindset and elevate their energy for their life and their career with my program What IEEFF? Inner Energy-work for Emotional and Financial Freedom. DM to get on a call with me so that we can strategize for your life goals.)
SoulVersing with Sanhita is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
