Overcoming Overthinking & Worry with Journal Writing & Meditation

Let the Verse Flow: Personal Growth Thru a Creative Lens

This episode is on overthinking, those patterns of automatic and often negative thoughts that drain our energy with mostly lies and what-ifs scenarios that never happen. I’ll discuss the differences between rumination and worry (those twin overthinking processes) and touch on automatic negative thoughts as well. Once we can define them and identify our unique patterns of overthinking, we are ready to utilize tools such as writing and affirmation meditation to help lessen their hold on us.

As examples, I explore my own little OCD tendencies and how they feed my overthinking and discuss how these patterns started in childhood. See if you can identify with these experiences, then join me in rewriting your future, and using mindfulness tools to calm the mind. Let’s overcome overthinking together!

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

Want to reengage with yourself and put creative self-care back on your to-do list? Head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com and sign up for my free newsletter, the Me-Time Mixtape. Three times per month, I’ll send you 3 essential, hand-curated links/resources on creative self-care tips, tools, and strategies.

Poem: A Lodger for the Night

Music: (My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and share it with the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.)

Songs in this episode:
Goose and Lime by Ghost Beatz; Slide by GEMM; Rest by Acreage; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters
Resources:
What to Do About Overthinking, Rumination and Worry

14 Ways to Stop Overthinking (see #7: Tackling ANTs writing activity that helps you record and rework internal narratives)
Related Episodes:
Sitting with Shitty Feelings (Episode #4)

Build a Personal Growth Practice with Creative Self-Care (Episode #14)
Journal Prompts:
1) Is my overthinking about past failures or challenges more typical of rumination, or is it more likely to be about fear and anxiety for the future (like worry)?
2) Is there a pattern to my overthinking? What do I notice about this pattern? When and where it happens? People or activities that bring it on.
3) Make a list of 5 activities or hobbies that you could use as positive distractions from your overthinking. Pick 1 or 2 and write about how you could spend 30 minutes engaged in that activity when faced with worry or overthinking.
LTVF Season 2 Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack.

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com