How to Overcome Overthinking and Negative Thoughts? What is the Cure of Overthinking?
Hello friends,
In this article, I am going to show how can you remove negativity from your mind? I am sharing with you you three insights from the Bhagavad Gita that will get you out of the habit of overthinking.
So, without any further delay day, let's get started.
Hello friends. Welcome to Healthovia.
- Introduction
What is Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta?
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is not a religious text, as many believe it to be. In fact, it is the book of answers. It is a guide for life and probably the best medicine for the mind. Let us imbibe some nuggets out of this masterpiece and put our overthinking minds to rest.
- Insights from Bhagavad Gita to stop overthinking
#3. Focus
👉 Example: What happens when someone hurts you? When things aren't going your way? When you're uncertain about your future, your mind starts chattering incessantly. But does that help? Not really. Rather, it we consume it's. Like walking with shoes that have peppers inside them.
Overthinking does exactly that. It instills negative thoughts and emotions within slowing you down. The solution lies in chapter two, verse 47 of Bhagavad Gita where
Lord Krishna says that "You only have control over your actions."
How true is that?
👉 Example: Let's say you have your exams after a week. Now, regretting the past when you had not studied won't help neither. Overthinking about the future that you may feel will fetch your good marks. Only if you focus on the present and utilize the next seven days in the best possible manner can make a difference.
In the same words,
Shri Krishna says that "One should not focus on the results."Now this advice may seem confusing. I mean, how are we to stay motivated if we stop thinking about the goal?
👉 Example: Let's say there are two employees who have to give a presentation in front of their boss. Both begin to work. One is working and also side by side thinking about the results. Will it turn out well? What if I mess it up? The other person is so involved in preparing the presentation that he doesn't even get time for such thoughts. Who do you think will do better? No doubts there. That's because when we put 100% energy into a task, we are bound to do better. And that's what Sri Krishna means by not focusing on the results.
👉Example: When you are hungry, what do you do? Do you keep thinking of hunger or do you take action and eat? And do you ever, while eating think will I be full? Will my hunger be satisfied? It's obvious that if you eat enough, you will be full.
Likewise, if you identify what is under your control and do what is needed you definitely will be in a better state than just pondering about it.
👉 Example: If someone has hurt you, instead of replaying it in your mind or thinking about what you could have said or done. If that person is in your reach, you can contact him or her and get things sorted. Or you can even ignore it. But you must take action and move on.
As they say, do your best and leave the rest. Sometimes it happens that we do all that was needed, but still things don't fall into place. What does Gita say about it? Well, it reveals that
"Whatever happens, happens for a reason."
👉Muscle fibers break to become bigger and stronger.
👉Even a diamond was just a piece of charcoal until it handled stress exceptionally well.
👉Gold can be molded into a shape only when the time, place and strike all three are ideal.
Similarly, the difficult situations of our lives are a test and how well we handle them decides the course of our future.
In chapter two, verse 14, Sri Krishna says that good and bad times keep coming and going like the seasons. All feelings are temporary. Only the one who remembers this law of impermanence and tolerates both the times with equanimity can remain at peace. Note the words both the times here.
Even when we are in happier times, we should be wary of the fact that this too shall pass. A flower, no matter why it is plugged, never ceases to give of its fragrance. In the same way, we should always keep working towards our goals.
The bottom line is this "The past is gone and we can't predict the future. It's only the present that is in our hands and we should make the most of it."
#2. Detach
Verse 62 of chapter two can be a game changer for an overthinker.
Lord Krishna says that when a person dwells on objects, there arises attachment from them. From this attachment arises desires and expectations and when they are not fulfilled, the person is instilled with anger.
👉Let's take an example of a budding YouTuber who begins working on his first video. Now if he focuses on the response, let's say he aims for 100 views he is already creating a bondage in his mind. No doubt he puts his heart and soul into it and uploads the video. Now, even though the video was appreciated by people, all he is looking at is the views because his mind is already attached to that figure of 100. This way, he will overthink about making his next video and will doubt himself and might soon abandon his YouTube channel completely. On the other hand, if he would have just focused on making the best possible video he would have not only been able to smoothly move on to the next video but also in the long run there are more chances of him being successful.
👉If my watch falls and breaks, I get upset. If someone else's watch breaks, I am unruffled.
👉If my friend is going through a tough breakup, I might lecture him. If I go through the same, I can't move on.
What is this? It's the attachment to goals, things and people that hold us in bondage. Rather, if we detach ourselves from them and focus only on what is under our control we will never fall into that dark path of overthinking.
In chapter six, verse one, the Lord says the one who remains unattached to the fruits of his action is the true mistake, a yogi.
#3. Mind
Since the mind is extremely powerful, if it is not in our control, it can be your worst enemy.
👉Think of a drug addict or a person who can't do without watching pawn or as commonplace as an overeater.
👉Let's say you have an exam the next day, but you are hooked on social media.
👉Or you want to lose weight, yet you binge on junk food.
Know that your mind is controlling you. Well, the truth about sensory pleasures is that the more you indulge in them, the more your mind creeps for it.
It's like an itch. Once you scratch it, you think you have satisfied the urge. Well, guess what? You have added fuel to fire. Now it comes back with much more intensity.
Our mind is like a wild lion. It is extremely difficult to tame. But if one over, it becomes our biggest strength.
Every successful person in this world has tamed his or her mind to some extent. How can we do it?
Shrimad Bhagwad Gita in chapter three says "To master the mind, master your senses."Just as if you plant a lemon seed in the ground, you can't expect mangoes to fruit. Similarly, if you subject your senses to negative impulses, you can't make a positive impact. That's because as you sow socially reap, this is the law of nature. So if you keep a check on what you imbibe through the five senses, what kind of people you hang out with, what kind of content you subject yourself to essentially, if you take charge of what information you load your brain with, your thought patterns will begin to change.
It's like when you fill a glass of dirty water with fresh water. Slowly the dirty water is built over and you are left with clean water.
Fundamentally speaking, your mind is like a distracted driver that keeps luring you to turn left and right with various temptations. But ultimately you are the boss who has to instruct him to keep moving forward.
Also read: 3+ Tips to Prevent Gas & Acidity problem permanently...
- Conclusion
If we sum up,
➡️➡️➡️ In any given situation, identify and focus on what is under your control, and then immediately take action and move on. ✅
➡️➡️➡️ Remember, whatever happens, happens for a reason. Accept it totally and move ahead. ✅
➡️➡️➡️ The intrinsic nature of our mind is to be imaginative and unsatisfied. So rather than being in its control, master it. ✅
➡️➡️➡️ And to master the mind, master your five senses. Basically, if you take charge of what impulses you feed your brain with, your thinking and action will change accordingly. ✅
➡️➡️➡️ We should continuously keep working without attaching ourselves to our goals, things and people as they bind us to the desires and expectations which, when not met, leads to anger and frustration. ✅
- Importance of Bhagavad Gita
The immensity of Bhagavad Gita is such that once you start reading it, then during the tough situations of life, the nuggets from it automatically begin to spring in your mind and you become much more stable and progressive.
If this article actually helped you, and you would like to see more on Bhagavad Gita, do share this article with your friends and family members.
Thanks ☺️ !
Really, It is very helpful for me
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