how to tell the difference
There's a big difference between thinking something through and getting stuck in your own thoughts.
But when you are in it, it's hard to tell which one you are doing.
What thinking looks like
Thinking is useful. It helps you:
Thinking feels:
What overthinking looks like
Overthinking feels very different. Your brain will be:
It feels:
The key difference
Thinking will lead somewhere. Overthinking loops round and round.
a quick test
'Have I already thought about this?' If the answer is yes, many times, you are looping and overthinking.
HOW TO BREAK THE LOOP
The thoughts may be perfectly valid, but overthinking is not constructive. You don't need more time to think about it. You need something to interrupt the process.
Try writing it down, saying it out loud or talking it through with a friend.
why talking helps
We have all needed help, only to realise we knew the answer as soon as we asked the question out loud. Thoughts make more sense when they leave our head.
When you say them out loud, you:
Final thought
Thinking keeps you moving forward.
Overthinking keeps you stuck.
If you are going round and round in circles, it's time to get those thoughts out of your head.
That's exactly what Hippo Brain is built for.