Turn Your Brain’s Obsessive Thoughts into Calmness Now During COVID-19
Racing Thoughts can be Toxic
Anytime, but especially during this difficult time in St. John’s County during the pandemic COVID-19; it is important to manage a tendency toward obsessive thinking. I often refer to it with my clients as ‘stinken thinken.’ If you have difficulty with racing thoughts or becoming obsessed on a particular one, you need to learn how to stop obsessive thoughts before they stop you. Many reasons exist for folks to experience these thought patterns, including boredom. And now with all of us following physical distancing during this pandemic, boredom has become a huge problem.
Reclaim Your Mind
When obsessive thoughts begin to creep into your mind, you can take control back. One possible choice is to work on a visualization exercise. Some folks use a highway while others see a river or stream. No matter what source of travel you use for this exercise, simply recognize that you have veered off course and correct. For those picturing a highway, seeing yourself driving on the shoulder and then getting back into your lane could be helpful.
Use an Ally to Make a Plan
Do you have a trusted person in your life who could help provide some perspective? This might be a mentor, family member or other individual who displays the types of traits that you wish to exhibit. Ask this person to help you formulate and figure out how to enact a plan of change. Let them know about your thoughts and feelings, asking for guidance and wisdom. Keep in mind that this person needs to be mature, trusted and willing to assist. If you don’t have a mentor or trusted counselor now may be the time to get one.
Attend to the Breath
Try adding exercise to your daily routine. Especially during these difficult times. Getting physical can help to improve your mental functioning. Not only will it enhance the right chemical production for your brain, during the exercises, you must pay attention to your body. In fact, gaining body awareness is one of the best things that you can do when learning how to stop obsessive thoughts. Begin by paying attention to your breath and managing it. You will be amazed at how much these activities can help you to relax and become calmer. There are many relaxed breathing applications that are available for you to use on your smart phone. I like Breathe2Relax.
Breathe for a Calmer Mind
Meditation Works
Look in your local community or online for a meditation class. There are many meditation videos online. I am a huge fan of Calm. Start with shorter sessions and work your way up as you become better at focusing your attention. There are various techniques and styles of meditation. Learn about and try a few of these to see what feels the most comfortable for your situation. I really like Heart Math’s Quick Coherence Technique which I teach to my clients. This method has been shown to improve heart rate variability which is associated with better mental clarity and peak performance.
Talk to a Psychologist in St. Augustine
Talk to someone who can help. Obsessive thoughts can be quite destructive and are often connected to unresolved issues. Seeking out therapy or workshops to get through this baggage is an excellent way to reduce the negative thought patterns. Invest time and money in yourself. It will pay off in handsome dividends. Contact Dr. Chris Wolf who has years of experience helping people to change and accomplish their personal and professional goals.
Keep a Thought Log
Try to recognize the triggers by writing down when the thoughts start and then taking active steps to redirect your mental train. Over time, you will learn which things cause the thoughts to start. Then, you can determine the best ways to deal with those triggers. For instance, if you find that a particular person always brings up a trigger topic, you can request that they stop. If the person refuses, you might need to disengage until your feelings are respected.
You Can Do This
Being trapped by obsessive thoughts is not healthy. You can learn to free yourself from them, starting with these simple suggestions. You deserve to be healthy and happy, without worrisome thoughts taking over your life each day!
Brooke Shields once said this: Someone said adversity builds character, but someone else said adversity reveals character. I'm pleasantly surprised with my resilience. I persevere, and not just blindly. I take the best, get rid of the rest, and move on, realizing that you can make a choice to take the good.
Make it a great day!