Get Out Of Your Head: 5 Ways How
Do you ever feel overwhelmed and burdened by the voices circling in your head. The nonstop chatter of negativity, judgement and self-doubt.
The inner critic who replays events in your head that happened in the past and ways you ‘should have’ responded. Leading to guilt, anxiety and worry.
Or maybe you get caught up dreaming about how you wish you would act and handle situations in the future. You spend your time creating stories and interpreting your own version of reality--only it’s all in your head.
Getting caught up in our heads leaves us reliving the past, or creating a false picture of the future. It is more productive to spend our time and energy in the present. This will allows us to be open to new opportunities, without getting bogged down with negative and unrealistic thought.
I know, easier said than done.
Here are 5 easy steps to help you get out of your head. Mix and match, pick and choose whichever steps feel the most comfortable and productive to you.
1. Build Awareness: Most of the time we aren’t even aware of the ongoing conversations in our heads. We unconsciously slip into these unproductive thoughts and dialogues without even realizing it. The first step is to become more aware of when we are getting caught up in our heads and STOP. Just by noticing and pulling ourselves out of our minds and back into reality we avoid falling into the trap.
2. Get It Out: Whatever you are obsessing over, reliving, analyzing or fantasizing about isn’t productive. And usually it leaves you feeling exhausted and disappointed. Try writing out whatever it is you are caught up thinking about, or call a friend and vent it out to them. Just get it out of you! This way you won’t spend additional time or energy getting caught up.
3. Observe: Bring yourself back to the present moment. Observe your physical surroundings, what do you see, smell, touch? Get up from where you are, stretch or go for a walk. Talk to a friend, peer or mentor. Give someone a helping hand. Pet your cat or dog. Do whatever you need to do to get out of your head and back to the physical world where you can shake off any draining emotions and lingering feelings of guilt and doubt.
4. Practice Gratitude: Remind yourself of 3 simple things you are grateful for right now. Maybe it’s the cup of coffee you are holding, or the reminder that you are meeting a friend for drinks later on. Whatever it is, take a moment to recognize the goodness in your life. And then reflect for a moment on how far you have come. What you have accomplished so far in life, who you have met, what you have experienced and seen. Practicing gratitude and reflecting on your journey can help boost your mood and re-energize you.
5. Visualize: Practice visualization to help you better define your goals in life and remind you what it is you are working towards and how you might get there. This is a productive way to determine what it is you seek in life.
Mix and match these simple steps and figure out which ones work best for you!
When you notice yourself slipping back into your head and you hear those voices stirring up trouble ask yourself ‘is there a theme or connection when I find myself getting caught up in my head?’ By pinpointing the trigger you can learn to confront the issue head-on instead of letting it lead you down the slippery slope of negativity.
