What is holding us back from the life that we truly want to live?

What is holding us back from the life that we truly want to live?

We’d say that one very common and destructive thoughts that we have developed think a thought addiction.

We overthink every little problem until it becomes bigger and scarier than it actually is. Overthinking positive things until they don’t look so positive anymore.

Or over-analyse and deconstruction of positive thoughts so that happiness that comes from just enjoying something in the moment disappears.


Thinking things through can be a great thing of course. But being an over-thinker can result in becoming someone who stands still in life. In becoming someone who self-sabotages the good things that happen in life. We become ruminators


I know. I used to overthink things a lot and it held me back in ways that weren’t fun at all.


We come to learn how to make this issue so small that it very rarely pops up anymore. And if it does then I know what to do then to overcome it.


We develop putting ourselves into a wider perspective.


It is very easy to fall into the trap of overthinking minor things in life.


So when you are thinking and thinking about something ask yourself:


Will this matter in 5 years? Or even in 5 weeks?


We have found that widening the perspective by using this simple question can snap us quickly out of overthinking and helps us to let that situation go and focus our time and energy on something that actually does matter to us.

We begin to set short time-limits for decisions.


If we do not have a time-limit for when we must make a decision and take action then we can just keep turning our thoughts around and around and view them from all angles in our mind for a very long time.


So learn to become better at making decisions and to spring into action by setting deadlines in our daily life. No matter if it is a small or bigger decision.


Here’s what have worked for us.


For small decisions like if should go and do the dishes, respond to an email or work out I usually give myself 30 seconds or less to make a decision.

For somewhat larger decisions that would have taken me days or weeks to think through in the past I use a deadline for 30 minutes or for the end of the workday.

Start to become a person who puts the ten stages into action.


When you know how to get started with taking action consistently each day then you’ll procrastinate less by overthinking.


Setting deadlines is one thing that have helped me to become much more of person of action.


Taking small steps forward and only focusing on getting one small step done at a time is another habit that have worked really well.


It works so well because you do not feel overwhelmed and so you do not want flee into procrastination. And even though you may be afraid, taking just a step is such a small thing that you do not get paralysed in fear.


Come to realise that you cannot control everything.


Trying to think things through 50 times can be a way to try to control everything. To cover every eventuality so you do not risk making a mistake, fail or looking like a fool.


But those things are a part of living a life where you truly stretch your comfort zone. Everyone who you may admire and have lived a life that inspires you has failed. They have made mistakes.


But in most cases they have also seen these things as valuable feedback to learn from. Those things that may look negative have taught them a lot and have been invaluable to help them to grow.


So stop trying to control everything. Trying to do so simply doesn’t work because no one can see all possible scenarios in advance.


This is of course easier said than done. So do it in small stages if you like.