I know it gets tiring to hear that getting busy is the solution to issues like overthinking or spending time on harmful people and activities, but it truly is the case. When you're busy, you become grounded in the present moment. That means your mind won’t have the bandwidth to live in the future, creating false scenarios that fuel anxiety and catastrophizing, or to linger in the past, reminiscing on things you wish you could have changed, seeing them through rose, colored glasses shaped by nostalgia, or regretting what could’ve been.
Being present and actively enjoying the moment is the key to breaking the cycle of overthinking. It also keeps you from being overly available to people who don’t deserve your time or energy. This is why God commands us to forget the former things and not dwell on the past, but instead be mindful and alert as He does something new in our lives (Isaiah 43:18). If our minds are lost in the “what ifs” of the past or future, we won’t be able to perceive the blessings unfolding right in front of us.