Breaking the cycle of overthinking

Wisdom from ancient philosophers, and tips on how to visualize yourself out of frustration

Imagine yourself as a mountain, immobile and firm. Below you, the valley beckons with lush abundance save a few arid spots in need of nurturing. Above you, some wispy clouds float gently past your summit, barely gracing the jagged edges of your slopes.

Once in a while, the clouds deposit droplets of glistening rain onto your escarpment. Others times, they grace your peaks with snowflakes, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. You allow them to leave these souvenirs, amassed along their travels high above the land.

Memories from yore. Omens of destiny.

Occasionally, a cloud will drift below your peaks, teasing you with its shape-shifting dance. You watch it with laser focus, hoping for a final bow beyond your rocky walls. You don't want it to linger and soil your cliffs; you remain on high alert - tension high, focus sharp.

You’ve learned over time the clouds are unpredictable. They can’t be trusted. There’s always one diverting from its usual path, seeking a spot for a lengthy pause or an extended layover.

You worry most about the ones which descend and linger. You’ve seen how they change impromptu direction without warning, tangling themselves in your crevices. Their tentacles, tiny wisps of fluffy fog, root into your fissures. This is where they grow and flourish.

The wayward clouds attract others with magnetic force. Soon, they fuse and intensify their charge. If left unchecked, they form a storm and unleash havoc on the land below.

These clouds, the wayward and unruly ones, are your peace invaders. How can you stop them from dominance?

Wisdom from Marcus Aurelius

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

You have the power over your mind, not outside events.

What is overthinking

Overthinking is the primary cause of frustration due to a cluttered mind filled with deafening noise.

Overthinking is agonizing over decisions resulting in enduring indecision.

Overthinking is excessive amounts of data gathering and in-depth scrutiny which leads to overwhelm and eventual analysis paralysis.

Overthinking is a constant replaying of conversations or circumstances, sometimes willing a different outcome even though the event has already passed, leading to regretful what-ifs, sorrow and remorse.

Overthinking is taking a future event and catastrophizing an outcome, projecting every unlikely or unsavory possibility and expecting it to occur.

And finally, overthinking is about believing you are a victim in every situation and the world is out to get you.

Overthinking tarot cards - trapped in your head

Overthinking can sneak up on you with a single, seemingly innocent thought. This happened to me the other day (as it does most days) and by the time I remembered that I am a mountain, I was all worked up, unable to recall what the original worrying thought incited my overthinking into mental madness or emotional confusion.

I am incredibly grateful for the image of the mountain and the clouds. It’s a concept I can grasp and put into practice at a moment’s notice.

Because… when I spend too much time in my head, I end up trapped in a deep, mental fog, unable to see clearly or act responsibly.

Swords in the Tarot represent air energy and associate with the air signs of the zodiac: Libra, Gemini and Aquarius

Keywords and meaning of the pictured tarot cards

• Ten of Swords: painful endings, crisis, deep wounds, betrayal, loss, ruin, victimization, failure, bitterness, collapse, exhaustion, dead end

• Two of Swords: stalemate, difficult decision, weighing options, denial, impasse, hidden solutions, avoidance

• Eight of Swords: negative thoughts, victimized, paralyzed, helpless, powerless, self-imposed restriction, imprisoned

By practicing visualization, such as the above illustrations of the mountain with its clouds, you give yourself an opportunity to create a mental reflex to help you detach from the peace-invading thoughts.

Case in point:

When I get worked up I get animated and agitated. When I notice my behaviour, I imagine myself as a mountain and force myself to allow the clouds to drift past me without giving them too much attention.

This is of course easier said than done.

The trick is to observe without engagement, to remain detached and neutral.

To aid my progress (observing without engaging) I detach myself from my physical environment (if I can). The other day, as I felt my emotional state of mind increase in intensity, I took the dog for a walk. The weather was cold, the wind icy and strong, but the beagle was bouncy and happy, the perfect image of living in the present moment in utter bliss and joy.

Connecting with nature and pets at opportune moments did the trick for me.

When I can’t get away from the source of my frustration (self-imposed or otherwise) I find other ways to disconnect. This is hit and miss, but practicing with this visualization technique has helped.

It also helps to have a room with a door. :)

Do you have creative techniques to help you cull overthinking? Leave a comment and share your tips!

Thank you for reading my words on Bella Luna, my Tarot and Spirituality section of my publication Room with a Door. As a new substack writer, I’d appreciate a like, share or comment!

Graphic art is my own. © Claudette Labriola

This article was inspired by The Stoic Community on YouTube.