By Wes Annac, Openhearted Rebellion

If you’re anything like me, then you overthink your life. You get lost in your thoughts until you make yourself depressed, or you freeze when trying to make a decision. Everything feels urgent, and the slightest tough decision or task can send you down a rabbit hole of anxiety, irritation and overwhelm.

If this is you, then don’t worry; you are in good company. I have a feeling that most people habitually overthink but refrain from talking about the anguish it causes. We all assume we are the only ones going through it, but that’s just not the case. Nobody has their life totally in order, and even those who make living look effortless are usually hiding what they’re really going through. Life is hard, and we make it tougher merely by thinking too much.

When I get lost in thought, hurt my own feelings and assume things will never get better, I try to pause, relax and breathe. For a few moments, I try to calm my mind and shake off the heavy mental weight pulling me into the pits of depression. I try to be nothing; I just exist, content with the notion that this is all I need. There is no need to think or stress in this space, because nothing requires my attention or anxiety.

The more I practice this basic meditation, the more it carries over into my life. I remember to take little pauses throughout the day, reminding myself that none of this is real and none is worth losing my peace of mind. I’m no mental health professional, and I make no claims that this will work for everyone. Hell, sometimes it doesn’t work for me. More often than not, though, it takes me out of the overanalytical mind and into a place of centeredness.

When the bad stuff piles on, either from outside or within; pause and reset. Think of it as a much needed and well-deserved mental vacation. We may not totally know what meditation can do for us as a species, but if nothing else, it has proven to be a life-saving mental health tool. You don’t deserve for your thoughts to send you plummeting into depression or intense anxiety. If and when that happens, it’s time to pause, reset and remember that everything will be okay – no matter what your brain is telling you.

Much love.

Featured image by Mirko Stödter from Pixabay