Stuck in an endless cycle of overthinking? Unlock four simple methods to break free from the thought treadmill, including breathwork and guided meditation.
Are we addicted to thinking too much? Is it even possible to stop thinking? Thoughts seem to flow constantly, without any break. Morning, noon, and night our minds are busy remembering, regretting, complaining, planning, imagining, and worrying. And when we try to put the brakes on, it seems our thoughts only multiply. Too much thinking can be exhausting.
If you feel like you need a break from unwanted thoughts, read on to learn 4 ways to stop thinking too much.
Why are thoughts a problem in the first place?
When you are thinking, are your thoughts of the past or the future, or only about the present moment?
You can try this simple exercise to find out. Sit with your eyes closed and imagine you have 3 baskets, one to the left labeled past, one to the right labeled future, and one in front of you labeled present. Continue to sit and let your thoughts flow without trying to control them. As thoughts come up, mentally place each one in the appropriate basket. After a few minutes, you will see that most thoughts are about the past or the future.
Too often we are stuck in the past or the future. These thoughts replay in our minds like a broken record. This kind of thinking drains our energy.
It’s not that there's anything wrong with thinking in and of itself. But when invasive thoughts stress you out and distract you from the present moment, then it can start to be a problem. The solution isn’t to never have a thought again, but rather to be more in the present moment and engaged with what is happening around you.
If you have ever observed a young child, you will notice that there is only “today” in their mind. There is not much thought about what happened yesterday or last week. For a child, the past is gone. It doesn’t exist except as memories. Children also do not spend much time thinking about what will happen in the future, except perhaps when it comes to birthdays or Christmas. For the most part, they are just living in the present moment. But as children get older they lose that sense of mindfulness and being fully present.
Being mindful and present results in less thinking!
The good news is that since we were all once children, we are capable of returning to that natural state. We just need to practice using a few tools to retrain ourselves and we too can naturally be in the present moment, with fewer thoughts!
Here are four ways to help you have fewer unwanted thoughts while having the awareness of what’s happening now.
1. Move your body and think less
Want more space in between your thoughts? Try moving your body. Dancing, in particular, gives the mind a chance to think less and just be. Feeling a little skeptical? Try it! Whether you are bogged down with regrets or worried about what will happen tomorrow, turn up your favorite songs and dance like a wild woman/man! Your mind will not be able to hang on to those unwanted thoughts. Dance therapy will also help raise low energy and deal with sadness, among other things.
If dancing isn’t your thing, try hiking. Being in nature has the added benefit of all that fresh air and vibrant energy that naturally recharges us.
Whether you dance or hike or find another physical activity that works for you, finish with a few minutes sitting with your eyes closed. You might just find yourself slipping into a calm, meditative state with your thoughts taking a backseat.
2. Sing to the top of your lungs
Just like moving your body, singing can also help reduce thoughts. The key to singing your way to less bothersome thinking is to give it your all! Like dancing, singing with abandonment keeps you fully present. Here are a few tips you can use:
Be 100% in singing, no halfway efforts
Sing in the shower or car
Sing in a group
Don’t worry about what others will think of you
Sing in another language if possible
End with a few minutes of silence
3. Breathe your way to fewer thoughts
Did you know that there is a direct connection between your thoughts and emotions, and how you breathe? With any strong emotion, your breath will change. I like to think of breathwork as volume control buttons for thoughts. Just practicing a simple breathing exercise can result in both quieter thoughts and fewer thoughts. One of my favorite breathing exercises is called humming bee breath. Try it out!
4. Know how to meditate
Notice I didn’t say just meditate? With so many misconceptions about meditation and a gazillion techniques out there, knowing the correct way to meditate is vital. We all want relief from our stress, but in order to get it, we need to meditate properly!
One of the main misconceptions about meditation is that there should be no thoughts! Yes, we all love the idea of being able to stop thinking, especially when we are stuck overthinking.
Thoughts are a part of meditation!
Now that we know that thoughts are a part of any normal meditation experience is it still possible to reach a state of no thoughts? Yes! But how?!
The first thing you need to know is to not resist your thoughts. Do not try to get rid of your thoughts.
One of the natural tendencies of the mind is that wherever you resist will persist. Trying to not think about something just multiplies those thoughts. Trying is effort and effort is contradictory to meditation.
When you remove the effort from meditation, then meditation can happen.
Art of Living founder and master of meditation, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, says there are three golden keys to meditation. As you sit for meditation think these three things:
I want nothing
I do nothing
I am nothing
Dropping your desires, even for a good meditation experience, is the first key. Dropping all your efforts is the second key. And then also dropping all your labels and roles that can interfere with meditation. Just for the time spent in meditation, drop any idea that you are or are not a good meditator. And then also leaving aside the roles of mother/father, husband/wife, daughter/son, etc. These three keys allow thoughts to settle down so you can enjoy deeper meditations.
Now that you know the three golden keys to meditation, you might like to try this guided meditation to stop overthinking led by Sri Sri.
Guided meditation to stop overthinking
How to leave your thought treadmill behind for good
Would you like to know how to stop thinking too much, right now? Do you want a tool that you could practice and would help you from the very first sitting?
SKY Breath Meditation is the ultimate key to fewer unwanted thoughts in and outside of meditation. SKY will also give you that glimpse of the “no-thoughts” meditation experience we all secretly crave!
Wait, how do you go from a glimpse to a regular experience of “no-thoughts” in meditation? Regular practice of SKY Breath Meditation over a longer period of time results in deeper and more profound meditation. And it is so worth it!
SKY has helped millions of people experience multiple benefits for both mental health and physical health!
Want to learn more about SKY Breath Meditation? Just click on the image below to save your seat in the next free meditation and breath session. You’ll be glad you did!
