Overthinking

Redirect Your Focus to Change the Narrative

You have picked up a bread crumb and mistaken it for a loaf of bread. The information you have is not the whole path. However, it will lead to more crumbs that will eventually form a clearer picture. Focusing on the breadcrumb and turning it over and over in your mind will elevate stress, diminish creativity and cloud judgement. Looking at an isolated detail can lead to the twisting of words, thoughts or narratives to invent desired outcomes. Our brains are hardwired to detect patterns that might satisfy the mind but are at odds with the heart. Merge your thoughts and feelings to create soul wisdom, also known as intuition. You will then recognize overthinking by the way you feel and can choose to redirect your focus and change the narrative. When you allow your mind to see beyond the crumbs to the nurturing whole, the energy will settle, and clear visions will appear.

Shadow Mastery Class: Your Mind is the Brain in Action

Meditation

Place your hand on the card. Gently close your eyes. Sense your body and concentrate on your breathing. Follow your breath inward. Hold for five seconds and relax. Breathe out and release all tension. Focus on the middle of your chest.

In front of you, a golden staircase descends into the earth. As you walk down the ten healing steps to a magical, amethyst crystal cave, feel the pathways in your mind as you reflect on new ways to experience life.

Step into the amethyst cave and greet your shadow. In front of you, a doorway is flashing as sparks run across it in all directions. Look closer and see the darting lights form pathways, like a chaotic map, across the door. Open the door and walk into the creative-sparks-of-your-thinking room.

Take a breath as you take in the magnificence of this creative space. Feel the tingle of electricity run through you like an aha or a light bulb moment. Thoughts are sparking in different colors all around you. Notice that some of the sparks are bigger and brighter than others. Direct the largest and brightest sparks into your heart and mind to inspire new neural pathways. The smaller and duller sparks are indifferent or not yet fully formed but may hold pertinent information for the future. Organize these thoughts by color and move them to form a rainbow. As you interact with and shape your thoughts into this beautiful, sparkling image, notice the peaceful space, like a clear sky, that you have created around the rainbow. Connect with this space, breathe it in and feel it through your body. Know that this peaceful space is always present behind your thoughts and that you can connect with it whenever you wish.

Now, float deeper into that space until you come to a white crystal structure of a tree with branches dancing with stars. Feel each twinkle from the branches as a gentle sensation of joy, hope, love and possibility. You are experiencing the nature of your brain. This delicate creative dance is happening within you right now. Stay here for as long as you like-at least thirty seconds.

When you feel ready, thank the tree for its blessings and journey back to the rainbow. Connect again with the peaceful sky, then turn to find the sparkling doorway and re-enter the amethyst cave. Walk to the golden staircase, and as you ascend, feel the calm and peace of your uncluttered heart and mind. At the top of the stairs, take two deep breaths in and out, and say, “I am grateful for clear and loving thought, feeling and vision.”

Inspired Insights, Reflections and Actions

Trust a decision and let it be. Constantly turning it over in your mind will introduce doubt. Soon enough, you will see the results and can decide on your next steps. As new pathways form, old ones naturally weaken and fall away. Eventually, through repetition, your new pathways will run on autopilot. You may benefit from researching Socratic thinking, rational thinking or Byron Katie’s work.

Journal Work

Write or draw whatever comes into your mind. Scribble words or pictures. As you do this, you may feel agitated, frustrated or muddled. Any feelings that arise are okay. Acknowledge them and allow them to spill onto the page with any pain or hurt. Your page (or pages) may look messy or chaotic. There is no need to give meaning to what you place on the paper. This exercise is an outlet for excess energy caused by overthinking to flow away from you. Spend five to ten minutes in this process. Imagine all that clouds your wisdom is dismantling and vanishing.