Overthinkers United.

I you’re an overthinker,
it’s because
you’re an
under-feeler.
Read that again.

• Overthinking is a protective mechanism. It keeps you from feeling the discomfort, or vulnerability that comes with accessing emotions that you may not feel ready or have the capacity to experience.

• Your mind races with endless thoughts, analyzing every situation, replaying past events, or imaginging future scenarios— all to avoid sitting with what’s really going inside.

• Emotions can feel overwhelming, especially if your default patterns involve suppressing or ignoring them.

• In rsponse, your brain tries to protect you by keeping you stuck in your head, distractinfg you with endless thoughts.

• In doing thisit keeps you disconnected from the experience of discomfort in your body.

• But this constant mental noise leads to more anxiety, stress, and disconnection, because you’re not really getting to the root of what’s happening.

• To break the thought loops, it can be helpful to start to access the experience of your emotions.

• Use a simple vagus nerve exercise: place one hand on your chest and take deep, slow breaths, exhaling with a hum or a “vooooo” sound. This soothes your nervous system, encouraging a feeling of safety and allowing you to drop out of your head and into your body.