Navigating Overthinking

Overthinking is an incredibly common human experience. However, very few people talk about what it is or understand how to navigate it. When we overthink, our thoughts may feel strong, like we are cycling through a loop of words and images, trying to understand what is happening. It’s common to want to make sense of life and the world around us, especially when we feel uncertain about a situation. While overthinking is natural, it can also create stress and take us further away from the present. At a certain point, thinking about the same situation does not bring any new information. Instead, relying too heavily on overthinking can drain valuable time and energy.

Overthinking can take us places we didn’t plan to go. So, let’s talk about how to find our way back to the present. In this brief course, we are going to discuss a method to acknowledge and move through overthinking. We’ll use a practical, research-backed tool called “Dropping Anchor.” Russ Harris, a psychotherapist and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy educator, describes Dropping Anchor as a tool to help people “become ‘fully present,’ engage in what they are doing, regain control over their actions, and focus their attention on what’s most important here and now” (Harris, 2019, p. 110). You can benefit from using this tool in a wide variety of contexts. Using Dropping Anchor can help you refocus your attention when you feel distracted by your thoughts, worried about the future, or simply want to come back to the present. For this course, we’ll focus on how Dropping Anchor can help you respond to overthinking.

And as a reminder, if you are experiencing challenges with managing daily life, significant discomfort, or need support, please reach out to a clinician, as this course is not therapeutic. Instead, this information offers you some knowledge and exercises to help you understand and navigate overthinking.

Having a way to respond to overthinking can make a difference in your day. You can recover some of the energy and time that overthinking takes. Instead of rehashing the same situations in your mind, you can focus on what is currently happening, solve problems, and act on what matters to you.

As you set down the weight of overthinking and turn toward the present, life begins to open up, offering more opportunities to choose. When we zoom out from the narrow loop of overthinking, we expand our ability to make decisions that support our lives, empowering ourselves to create change and find meaning.

So, are you ready to learn a simple tool for coming back to the present when your mind overthinks?

If so, I’ll see you in the next module.