5 Ways To Break Anxious Thought Patterns
Anxiety can manifest in a plethora of ways. It can be all consuming: mentally, emotionally, and even physically. A common way anxiety presents itself is in the form of overthinking and irrational thoughts. We are all guilty of overthinking to a certain extent, but for those with underlying anxiety, these cycles of overthinking can be overwhelming and lead to detrimental rabbit holes. Whether it be an interaction with a friend or stranger, a conscious dwelling on how others perceive us, or an important & stressful career meeting, anxious thought patterns can easily develop and fester. Once the cycle of anxious thinking begins, it can be a bit difficult to control, spawning more and more anxious thoughts. Below I’ve curated a list of my favorite ways to break our anxious thought patterns.
1. WRITE & REFLECT
This may just be my favorite tip, which is why I decided to list it first! Take some time to gather your thoughts to your best ability and write down each and every thought that enters your mind. Whether it is a substantial thought or a fleeting seemingly meaningless thought, they all hold importance, and can be put into words on paper. After you’ve written out each thought on your mind, read through the list that you’ve curated. It can be helpful to sort through and decide which thoughts are actually in your control and which ones are not. If you find a lot of your thoughts are worries outside of your control, it could be helpful to begin to let those thoughts come and go, and maybe even reframe those thoughts in a more positive way.
2. “WORRY TIME”
This tip may seem counterintuitive, but it in fact serves to be quite the opposite! In your daily schedule, try and find a time that is designated “worry time”. This means that you give yourself a dedicated and limited amount of time during the day where you allow yourself to worry freely. Whether this be letting your anxious thoughts come and go, discussing your worries with a friend or relative, or exploring some rabbit holes, be sure to allow yourself to feel the anxiety and worry for a short period of time. In doing so, you reduce the amount of time in your day where your anxious thoughts consume your daily life. Designated “worry time” allows you to enjoy the rest of your day with less anxious thoughts and worries. Instead, you're creating room for those thoughts to freely flow and exit your mind.
3. RECIPROCAL THOUGHTS
Another helpful tool may be challenging your negative thought with its positive reciprocal thought. For every negative “what if” thought or worry, try and challenge it by thinking of a positive thought. For instance, instead of wondering “What if this experience goes horribly wrong?!”, try thinking “What important lessons can this experience teach me?” or even more simply, “What if this experience is better than I ever imagined?!”. For each negative thought, there is always a positive reciprocal. Challenging your anxious thoughts with a more positive one can help shift your perspective to a more beneficial one. This will aid in breaking the pattern of anxious thinking.
4. SENSATIONS & SURROUNDINGS
Taking notice of the sensations and surroundings around you can be very helpful in breaking negative & anxious thought patterns. This tip can be experienced in a plethora of ways, whether it be in still meditation, yoga, a walking meditation, or even out and about in your daily life. For ten to twenty seconds, pick one sound, sight, taste, or smell around you and intently focus on whatever sensation you decided to select. Whether it be the sound of the wind, the taste of your morning coffee, people walking past you, or the smell of fresh rain on the pavement, give it your undivided attention for those ten to twenty seconds. Following those ten to twenty seconds, pick a new sensation to focus on. It can be helpful to repeat this cycle until you become aware of the anxious thoughts slowly vanishing.
5. Breathe
Breathwork is so beneficial for our minds and bodies, and can be incredibly helpful in quieting our anxious thoughts. Allow yourself five to ten minutes where you can truly focus on your breath without interruption. My favorite breathing technique in reducing anxious thinking is called box breathing. Box breathing follows these simple steps:
1. Breathe in for four seconds.
2. Hold your breathe for four seconds.
3. Breathe out for four seconds.
Repeat this cycle as many times as you need until you find your anxiety levels calming down and your anxious thought beginning to quiet down and fade. This technique can be especially helpful before bed, helping quiet down a wandering & anxious mind before bedtime.
