How do we stop over thinking... or try to...

[legalboxers]

Our mind. Greatest unknown part of our body

Our mind. Greatest unknown of our body. To make crucial decisions in life. Everything from what to have for lunch, to how do we response to this Mytake

which way to go and how to go, what to do, etc

But what happens when you keep on second guessing things.

Boom

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/stop-spending-so-much-time-in-your-head-1381441550

This is what got me thinking. Or shall I say overthinking..

Main question asked is this : You know what those thoughts do to you? Guilt, anger, suffering.

I just have one question for you: What’s the practical use of your thoughts?
Yes? I’m waiting. Still no answer? Exactly.

Thoughts have no use. 99% of them that is.

Which thoughts are useful?

That’s it. You can ignore every other thought.

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Our thoughts are our own, whether we act on impulse or other. Whether it be caused by someone speaking something to us, a smell, or an action.

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Pragmatism believes that the mind is a tool. Your mind should work for you, not against you. People who don’t master their mind, don’t believe it’s possible."

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Don’t judge. Don’t think you’re stupid. If you do that, you’re thinking again....

So they say..

I guess we should stop overthinking things. I should also practice what I preach....

[Anonymous]

I'd take it a step further and say we should just stop thinking. The state is known as Mushin, or No Mind and I discovered i was able to do it while reading the book 'Power Of Now' by Ekhart Tolle.

After practicing that state, I became much calmer, stuff I thought I hated were suddenly fine, and you spend more time being in the now. You also react and connect with people much differently. The more you practice it, the longer you can have 'no thoughts' for, and the more it becomes your default state of being.

Some people around me started to ask me what happened, why I was different, and how I seemed so calm even in the midst of a storm.

[CrazyCroGuy]

As great as it might have worked out for you I don't think this could even remotely apply to everyone, especially people like me who's mental capabilities are pretty much everything and our ability to think the way we do pretty much defines us. So no, I would not give up thinking and biting myself only to realise how iratinal it is a few minutes or seconds later in favour of being calm and all chill about stuff

[Opinion Owner]

@CrazyCroGuy It's more about being able to stop thinking when, or if we choose to, rather than not thinking at all. We are not our thoughts, we are something more, and most of our thoughts hinder, rather than help.

You do not lose mental capabilities, you gain them. As strange as it sounds, thinking can get in the way of our mental abilities.

However, if we cannot stop thinking, then we are slaves to our mind, when our mind is supposed to be working for us. Then if we can't stop thinking, then what happens when damaging thoughts go unnoticed and we can't stop? well take a look around, anxiety, mental illness, depression, anger, obsession etc.

[CrazyCroGuy]

Thank you for your reply! As I was reading it I imidiately became worried of how much junk thoughts might be getting in my way to succes and I may give the book a try...

[Opinion Owner]

@CrazyCroGuy I'd say that simply becoming aware of our thoughts is one of the main keys. It's the unawareness that does the damage.

For example, even simple stuff like someone telling themselves ''oh no it's Monday again'' or ''I hate Mondays'' or ''I hate this job'' or ''I hate that idiot manager''.

Most people hate Mondays, but it's just another day that our thoughts imbue with power... the power to be hated lol. Now say you decide to stop saying those things to yourself, or to simply have no thoughts about Monday. Suddenly it's just another day. But if we can't control our thoughts at all, then we can never love Mondays...

[DiegoO]

Good job, mate.

[DiegoO]

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Greay mytake

[sawno]

This doesn't work for me because when i overthink i overcomplicate practical matter. I would say 80% or more of my thoughts contain a purpose. The other 20% happens when distressed. So letting thoughts go because they hold no meaning is useless as most of my thoughts are meaningfull.

[Truthatanycost]

What would be an example of a meaningful thought?

[sawno]

@Truthatanycost Usually its analasis of the tgings around me so it can be literally anything. From new philosophical theories to thinking trough important things i have to prepare for to self awareness where i become more aware of my subcontious and grow as an individual to simply an entertaining fantasy. Everything holds a purpose or meaning.

The only exceptions are when something is stuck in my head but that is reasonably rare

[Truthatanycost]

Most of us are led by our thoughts, and I'd think if you asked a lot of people, many would say that their thoughts were mostly meaningful. However, thoughts are very limited. They come from limited data. Think about it. How our body works, digestion, healing, breathing. That comes from a higher level of consciousness that goes beyond thought.

Every time we are locked in thought, we cannot access any of that intelligence because only silence allows us to tap into it. You mentioned using thought to analyze your environment, but that analysis is limited through data. When you look at your environment from a place that goes beyond thought, you see much more.

Think about intuition as a simple example. Now that usually occurs at times of stress or danger because the situation forces us into a state of 'no thought'. Now if you were to live in a state of 'no thought' for long enough, then you potentially regain that connection.

[happychappy999]

Great take