Stop overthinking 

Did you ever notice most of our thoughts gravitate towards the negative stuff? 

We worry, fear, stress!  We are thinking about getting to work, what we need to do when we get there.  We are thinking about our kids, their schoolwork, friend problems.  We try to remember if we sent in their money for their field trip and if our teenager is being honest about one thing or another.  We think about when we were a teenager, our issues with our parents and all the epic fails from that time to now. 

We think about our great meeting at work the other day and how that account looks promising, then back to the negative.  We suddenly remember the last time we were sure a new prospect was going to sign with our firm and it fell through.  Then we're onto the house payment.  We hear the brakes on the car squeaking and think how bad we need this new account.  Suddenly, the whole day looks like crud and then the anger, blame and frustration with our ex comes into mind and things just keep getting better.  Ugh!

Did you ever have a 10 minute drive to work like that?  When this happens, there is one absolute way you can fight back with positive reinforcement.  Do.

Get active

That's right!  Get doing.  Think about the last time you went outside and took in the scenery and wonders of nature and felt lousy afterwards?  Did you ever just release a random series of negative thoughts that in 20 minutes you realized weren't as bad as they seemed?  Add a brisk walk or some sunshine and the ughs just vaporize.  

Get into a sport, get out there and play, run, walk, swim.  Get into a hobby, make something, accomplish anything.  Consider anything you do and think of how you could do it better or be more creative with it: career, cooking, activities with the kids, classes at the local college, organizing, decorating, even cleaning can produce a positive feeling afterwards.  This especially when you do it intentionally and with purpose.  It will make work more productive, home activities more enjoyable and an overall feeling of greater accomplishment.

When you are in a sitatuion where there is downtime to think, you can't always change what you are doing to stop thinking.  But, the more positive you add in your everyday the more it will overtake the negativity that seeps into your downtime.  You will be more positive in your thoughts and more relaxed when it's time to relax.  You will sleep better and have an overall clearer thought process.  

Now, here is the challenge.  Do.  Get out there this week and start something new or do anything...better.  Change your everyday to include more accomplishments.  Even small ones like organizing, cleaning or modifying.  Add more production to your life, make it easier for your everyday grunt work and add more everyday active stuff.  Get some comfy tennies and get doing!  Buy some new ingredients and try a new recipe.  Build some new shelves in your closet or paint a room in your house.  If you don't feel better within the first 2 weeks, do more until you feel genuinely happy for your ex and think your divorce settlement was completely fair. Then you'll know you're onto something pretty darn good!

As always, check with a physician to approve your new activities.