3 Ways Our Brain Messes With Us & 3 Powerful Antidotes

Thinking, re-thinking and thinking some more before making a decisionRuminating over something, whether it was something someone said, didn’t say, did or didn’t do

Telling stories and not the fairytale kind

Do any of those sound familiar to you?I raise my hand.I can be the queen of rumination. I will chew on something until it’s lost all it’s flavor. Oh, and don’t get me started on story-telling. The stories in my head can be some real doozies. I’d like to blame the stories that I tell myself on my creative writing background, but then I’d just be telling another story.

Here’s the deal-o…we’re human. I know, shocker…bet you didn’t see that coming. But we are, and as human beings we’re trained, taught, pre-disposed, born, to think. However, when it comes to overthinking, rumination, and story telling, we weren’t born to do those things. I’m pretty sure those are things we learned from our environment and from others. (Not to place blame here by any means.)

The bottom line; our brains don’t know fact from fiction. It takes our lead and works off what we tell it. Enter overthinking, rumination, and stories.

The Three Ways Our Brains Mess With Us

OK, so maybe it’s not fair to say that our brains mess with us. It’s how we use them that does. So when we ruminate, overthink, and tell stories here’s what happens…

1. Trust in ourselves and in others is undermined. (Story-Telling)
2. Drama and tension is created where it’s not necessary. (Story-Telling and Rumination)
3. We miss out on opportunities. (Overthinking)

The Three Powerful Antidotes

These three bad boys are super-effective when it comes to overthinking, rumination, and story-telling. I use them personally and with my clients to not only create awareness, but to stop the madness.

Actually, they’re three powerful questions that I ask to create that awareness and to help me to take back my own personal power. Something that always get’s diminished when I story tell or ruminate.

1. What’s causing me to chew on this thought over and over again? This question helps to get to the cause of the rumination.
2. Where do I have evidence that this is true? Great for when the stories are running rampant. It helps look for evidence that negates the story.
3. What’s the best and worst thing that can happen? Yep, weighing the pros and cons when it comes to a decision-making helps nip overthinking in the bud.

BONUS QUESTION: What are my options? Now this is my secret weapon… because anytime I think about my options and my choices, that not only helps me to think in a more proactive way, but it releases some of the fear and anxiety that often comes with story-telling and rumination.

At the end of the day, we are all so much stronger than that 3–4 pound mass that sits on top of our shoulders.

Until next time, I’m sending you all much love and light!

Originally published at www.whatswithinu.com.