Turning off endless thoughts and rumination can be a difficult task for many people (in fact, 6.8 million people across the US).  So, it should not be shocking that we all may experience similar instances, or even times of day when we find it difficult to turn off the worry.  Some people may experience anxiety in the morning, throughout the day, or all-times revolving around sleep.  Have you ever been abruptly woken up from a deep sleep trying to figure out the world’s problems—many of us have! Or, are you the jealous type who envies your spouse for catching ZZZ’s moments after hitting their pillow—meanwhile, you are left alone with your thoughts for hours on end?! The thoughts can be endless, and thoughts do not necessarily have to be distressing in nature to be, well, distressing. 

Humans have the ability to think and think and think, without ever really finding the end of the thought—we simply ruminate, jumping from thought to thought.  When we get busy, this could likely lead to overstimulation and eventual burnout if we are unable to take captive our thoughts and make them submissive to truth and clear thinking patterns.  What good does worry do anyway? What good could come from worrying about something likely to never happen or something completely out of your control? We need to speak logic into our thoughts and a whole lot of truth!

This is your life, and you can live a life free from endless rumination or consistent patterns of spiraling out of control, but...

...YOU must be intentional and take a break—give your mind (body and spirit) a break! Go for a brisk walk, enjoy nature, be creative, engage in community and volunteering, and especially breathe; after all, meditation has been proven to reduce anxiety as effectively as medication (without the side effects!!).  Now, obviously, we have all been created uniquely, so what is beneficial for one person may vary for another.  You need to be intentional in developing coping skills and positive daily routines that accurately identify your personal needs.  Take time to check in with yourself and poke around—again, this is your life, and day by day you can re-establish equilibrium through a mindful approach to health and wellness (mind, body, and Spirit).

~Guy Flom, MA, LLC