Diary of a Recovering Thinkaholic

Another fun and insightful blog posting brought to you by Tracy Sullivan.

Hello, my name is Tracy and I’m a recovering think-aholic…

I’ve been a think-aholic for as long as I can remember. At an early age I learned that if a little thinking was good, a lot was better…

Makes sense, right?

WRONG…

This belief led me to what I call “think-aholism”.

Think-aholism is my made up term for what happens when I get stuck in thought, it’s usually brought on by stress – a new job, a new relationship, no relationship, giving a presentation, a change in plans, speaking up for what I want, even getting a new hairstyle!

Over-thinking’s downsides include anxiety, moodiness, indecision as well as stagnation, not living up to your full potential and it generally saps the joy out of life.

Who wants that? Not me!!

I knew I was a think-aholic when I kept hearing….

“You think too much, that’s your downfall.”

“You over analyze everything too much.”

“You are being too hard on yourself.”

So why the tendency to over-think?

Am I “hard-wired” that way? Did I learn this from my parents? Is it hormones? Am I too cautious?  Afraid to make mistakes? It’s probably a combination.

You may have others reasons for your own over-thinking.

What I do know, is that over-thinking is a habit that can be broken.

One of the biggest culprits for me has always been fear. Fear of making a mistake, looking foolish, doing the “wrong” thing, people not agreeing with me. Also, if something doesn’t go as planned, I tend to ruminate about it – why it happened and what I should have done better, which keeps me stuck and in a down space– I call it analysis paralysis

When I’m paralyzed in thought it’s hard to find a solution or bounce back. It’s like I get lost in a maze of overly dramatic thoughts, get exhausted and lose steam. Then I’m suddenly in a bad mood. No fun for me or anyone near me.

Over the years though I have learned to recognize the signs and while there is no support group for us think-aholics, I have found a few things tend to snap me out of my think-aholic ways….

Break the cycle-

• Relax and let go- breathe, get up and just do something different – talk a walk, listen to music, clean your house… distract yourself.
• Get active – exercise is a natural mood lifter – it gets the blood flowing and often clears my head.
• Go outside – Being outside makes me feel more spacious and relaxed – often clearing my head and lifting my mood instantly.
• Note cards that say “STOP” on them – place them anywhere you look often – your office, your mirror, your car, your wallet – just looking at the word helps me shift my thinking to something else…
• Call a friend – run the problem past a friend who is a good problem solver, someone who is not an over-thinker like you – they will help you see things in a new light.
• Count your blessings – there is always something to be thankful for – I can always find something to be happy about… I’ve kept a gratitude journal near my bed for a few years and it’s been such a great practice – having the last thought before bed be a positive one has made a difference in how well I sleep and how I feel when I wake up.

“I’ve found that worry and irritation vanish into thin air the moment I open my mind to the many blessings I posses” -Dale Carnegie

Tracy Sullivan enjoys her life and career in Human Recourses in Bedminster, NJ. Tracy is also a Professional Certified Coach, having coached for 6+ years at Deloitte. Tracy is a continuingblog contributor sharing her own wisdom and experiences with others.

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