Because I’m getting older (kind of a dumb thing to say, because technically we all are, but you understand what I mean) I think I am getting better with time in certain ways. Some people just get better as they get older. What I mean is: I’m now able to notice more things about my brain and behaviour due to the sheer fact that I’ve been alive for a longer period of time than I was alive for, let’s say…..5 years ago, for example. Every year you get older objectively sucks, there’s no denying that, but it’s also cool because you have more information to use. Naturally, you have a lot more experience to base your opinions and decisions on as time goes by. That could go either way depending on the person, but I feel it’s been a mostly positive experience for me so far.
One thing I’ve seen a bit more clearly than usual lately is my tendency to overthink. Not just mine, but also people in general. Overthinking is one of those things that is so logical it’s stupid. What it means is that your mind is trying to do the impossible: have complete control over a certain outcome or situation. If there’s one thing I’ve learned at this stage in my life, it’s that thinking too much about a problem can make matters much worse. Some thought is always required in any scenario, but there is a difference between thinking and being careful and stressing out and overthinking.
It’s very important to be conscious of your different energies: productivity and wasteful. Or creative vs. fruitless. Or Daydreaming vs. Focused, Concentrated Thought. It helps me to differentiate between the two because if I happen to be doing too much of one, I can make the adjustment required and make better use of my time. James Altucher, a guy I look up to and admire, once called this type of thing, “time travelling.” It’s similar to what I’m referring to, the state in which you’re not really doing nothing, but you’re not doing something. You’re in the purgatory of thought, and nothing gets done as a result.
Overthinking is very silly because you can always think about how you’d like something to go, and things of that nature, but until you really experience whatever it is you’re worried about, you’ll never really know what the fuck is gonna happen. For example, if you’re the kind of person who often thinks about situations like, “What I should have said,” after the fact, you are kind of wasting your time. It’s definitely fun to think about stuff like that and be a hero after the fact in your head, but as I mentioned: as I get older I am becoming more consciously aware of when my brain drifts off in thought about something that’s not the present tense. It’s fun, but it’s also a great way of wasting the precious time you do have right now to do something cooler instead.
Another aspect of overthinking that is shitty and to be avoided at all costs is the negative self-image you could possibly accidentally give yourself if you think too hard about something. The brain is a tricky thing because it can turn anything into something else if you try hard enough (if that makes sense). What I mean by that is you can think about pretty much anything, and it can either go amazingly, or go wrong just as fast. Why not try to make an effort and make the better option for yourself? If you wanted to, you could read anything you forced hard enough to see, into a certain situation. The best thing to do is go into shit with a frame of mind you try your best to choose beforehand; if you decide not to be lacking in confidence one day before beginning it, for example, you could probably convince yourself to feel good if you wanted. It’s all about blocking the negative vibes before they even start; it’s a talent you have to keep working at to get really good.
I believe the brain is just as much of a muscle as anything else. If you lift weights and want to look really intense, that’s cool too. It’s definitely beneficial, but I personally enjoy using the brain as a muscle and seeing what I can do with it way more than lifting weights and pushing my body to its limits. Being mindful of overthinking is a big one for me in that regard and definitely something one needs to work at. Thinking about your thinking (and stopping your overthinking) is so very important! Good luck.