The Mindset Shift Everyone Needs: Overthinking to Intentional Contemplation
From Chaos to Clarity
The bio of my Medium profile reads ‘Thinker turned Writer’ because before I started writing my thoughts down and sharing them with you, I was trying to process my thoughts and make sense of them.
I’ve always told people that I’m in Constant Contemplation, meaning that instead of thinking about what I’m having for dinner tonight, I’m probably thinking about why I’m such a ‘lists person’ and whether or not it’s a good or bad thing to have my very existence ruled by the lists I make and whether or not I fully execute them.
I’m the type of person who skips past the small talk and goes straight into deep conversations. Just met two minutes ago? Great! What do you think the meaning of life is?
To me, contemplation is the bridge that connects our inner world to the vast universe, revealing the interconnectedness of all things and the infinite possibilities that await us.
In the stillness of Intentional Contemplation, we unlock the wisdom that lies dormant within us and discover the path to our truest selves.
It’s not an escape from reality but rather an invitation to dive deep into the depths of our being, where true transformation and healing can occur.
During Intentional Contemplation, we learn to listen to the whispers of our soul, trust our intuition, and align ourselves with the greater flow of the universe.
For all the ways that Intentional Contemplation has changed my life, I want you to experience the same thing.
I’ve come to realize though, that not everyone takes the time to intentionally think about their lives and that some may not even know how to.
That’s why I wanted to introduce the topic of Intentional Contemplation and explain how to do it.
Consider this article a chance for those who are interested in transforming their lives by practicing Intentional Contemplation to understand what Intentional Contemplation is.
Learning to Think
First things first, you’re going to have to learn how to think.
It’s important to preface with the fact that it’s okay to need to learn how to think. It’s actually quite normal to be guided along in certain processes that help you understand how to think.
Ever heard of meditation? Great! In some forms, meditation is a way to practice guided thinking.
Trust me, it took many years for me to learn how to think without it being a harmful, exhausting, or destroying process for my life. It took many years to learn how to think without those thoughts controlling my life.
And that’s the thing- Intentional Contemplation goes beyond just thinking.
it’s not a matter of knowing how to think. It’s a matter of knowing how to deeply contemplate aspects of your life, draw appropriate and reasonable conclusions, and make changes to your life accordingly.
And that’s where the fun in Intentional Contemplation lies. It’s like a cheat code for making your life better. Consider it the ultimate ‘life hack’.
What Is Intentional Contemplation?
Intentional Contemplation fosters a depth of thinking and understanding that allow you to transform your mindset, your perspective, and your life.
It’s a focused effort in thinking about a certain aspect of your life with the aim of expanding your knowledge of yourself, others, or life in general.
Intentional Contemplation is not overthinking.
Intentional Contemplation is free of judgment, criticism, and fear whereas overthinking is a breeding ground for all those things.
It’s a form of thinking that gives you freedom rather than shackles you in chains of thought paralysis.
How Do You Practice Intentional Contemplation?
Intentional Contemplation may start with a random thought that comes to your mind and the active choice you make in diving into that thought or letting it pass you by.
When you choose to further contemplate the thought, the most important thing is doing so with an open and kind mind.
If you’re immediately ashamed or fearful of the thought, then you’ll likely start to overthink instead of intentionally contemplate it.
To give a more clear picture, here’s what overthinking versus intentional contemplation looks like.
There’s a clear difference between overthinking and Intentional Contemplation.
Overthinking leads to unproductive thoughts that spiral and make you question other aspects of your life.
Intentional Contemplation is productive thoughts that stay within the confines of the topic.
Overthinking has tones of worry, fear, shame, sadness, anger, and more.
Intentional Contemplation has tones of understanding, neutrality, open-mindedness, kindness, and curiosity.
Starting to transform your mindset to practice Intentional Contemplation rather than overthinking allows you to improve your life in unexpected ways.
You develop a sense of level-headedness and begin to view reality objectively allowing yourself to decide how to act, rather than acting based on emotions, feelings, or the thought itself.
It’s a long and thorough process to make this paradigm shift, but it will be worth it in the long run.
Real Talk
I’m far from perfect in practicing Intentional Contemplation and often choose to overthink and let my thoughts and emotions control me.
If you struggle with overthinking to any degree, I encourage you to recognize the overthinking tendencies you have and try to start intentionally contemplating rather than giving in to overthinking.
Surly it’s easier to overthink rather than intentionally contemplate.
But overthinking often results in negative repercussions whereas Intentional Contemplation often results in bettering your life.
Ultimately, you’re going to have to make the choice for yourself whether or not this is a change you want to make. And you’re going to have to hold yourself accountable in doing so.
So, are you ready to make the change from overthinking to Intentional Contemplation?
Great! Let’s get started.
