The Overthinking Cure: How to Stay in the Present, Shake Negativity, and Decode Your Stress and Anxiety (The Path to Calm Book 4)

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If you’re struggling with procrastination, then you might benefit from reading this book. It explains why we often put off doing what needs to be done and offers practical advice on how to overcome this problem.

This is a self-help book written by Gwendoline Smith, a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety and depression. The book offers practical advice and strategies to help readers break free from the cycle of overthinking and worry that can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression. Michl LC, McLaughlin KA, Shepherd K, Nolen-Hoeksema S. Rumination as a mechanism linking stressful life events to symptoms of depression and anxiety: longitudinal evidence in early adolescents and adults. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013;122(2):339-352. doi:10.1037/a0031994 This is a manual on Stoic philosophy written by the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus. In the book, Epictetus offers practical guidance on how to live a happy, fulfilling life by developing wisdom, self-control, and inner peace. A distracted and non-present mind is the biggest cause of unhappiness. It prevents us from seeing what possibilities lie before us. Life turns into a minefield rather than a set of new opportunities.

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Note: These are books that we’ve provided as advice from our own personal experience. There are many other books that may be applicable to you. While some of these books provide scientific evidence and scientific research, we want to remind you that we are not doctors or physicians. If you are really struggling, it’s best to seek out professional help. Try Audible Plus Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross Fun fact: This is the oldest book on the best books for overthinkers list – it was published in c. 125 CE. The Four Agreements by Don Migues Ruiz This is a memoir and self-help book that discusses the author’s journey to find inner peace and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. In the book, Harris discusses the role that overthinking and negative thought patterns can play in causing stress and suffering, and how mindfulness and meditation can help to reduce these patterns. Proactive people consciously create the conditions they desire, and they know that they are the only ones who are empowered to do so. This takes a degree of mindful awareness, honesty and courage. It also means they have to be mature enough to shoulder some risk—if they fail, they know that only they are responsible and can blame nobody.

There are many different activities in this book and she stresses that even if you only have 10 minutes, you can still practice mindfulness. The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion by Christopher K. Germer The power of gratitude: focusing on the things we are grateful for can help us shift our perspective and reduce the tendency to overthink.What’s more, the book will provide you scientific approaches to completely change the way you think and feel about yourself by ending the vicious thought patterns. But before deep diving into these books, you may want to uncover the source of your anxiety. If you are unable to pinpoint something, that’s absolutely okay. Sometimes we can identify the source of our anxiety and other times we cannot. It’s also important to understand that you may be overthinking for a wide range of reasons. There are two main answers: either you see something or someone else as responsible for what happens to you, or you see yourself as the primary agent, mainly responsible for how your life plays out. Proactive people are those who, in essence, do not depend on the environment to guide and shape their life, but rather take active responsibility and do things on their own. They focus on their scope of action, on what they want, and on how they can bring those things about. Naturally, their attitude puts them in a frame of mind that focuses on solving problems and seeking opportunities. Broadly, when it comes to their life path, they are the ones calling the shots.

While this book ended up on our list of best books for overthinkers, this is also a great book for self-love. The Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

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Although it may not be among the best books for overthinking on your list, I reserved its spot for mine. Here’s why. If you feel, you’re always tired, give a try to Brain Food by Lisa Mosconi, which links brain functions to diet. Pieter R, Nababan D, Ariawan S, Listio S, Ruben S. Improving interpersonal skills to overcome the negative effects of overthinking in the disruption era. BIRCI-J. 2022;5(2):10632-10642. doi:10.33258/birci.v5i2.4876 Now, I know what you’re thinking—surely it’s impossible to be truly proactive? After all, none of us is one hundred percent in control of our lives. This is true. Being proactive, however, doesn’t necessarily mean you always get your way; rather, it’s an orientation of mind and an attitude that says I can learn from mistakes. I can use my potential. I can try something new. In fact, a proactive person is also able to recognize when they don’t actually have an influence over outcomes, and they can comfortably relinquish control. This is a novel about a shepherd boy named Santiago who embarks on a journey to fulfill his personal legend or life purpose. Along the way, Santiago encounters a variety of people who help him understand the importance of living in the present moment and following his dreams.

The value of social support: having a strong support system can help us feel more connected and supported, which can reduce the negative effects of overthinking. Rnic K, Dozois DJ, Martin RA. Cognitive distortions, humor styles, and depression. Eur J Psychol. 2016;12(3):348-362. doi:10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1118 The power of mindfulness: practicing mindfulness can help us become more present and aware, which can help us stop overthinking and make more informed decisions. The whole world seems to accommodate extroverts. Cain—an introvert herself—wrote the book from her passion to elevate introverts who are often viewing themselves as second-level citizens. Reactive: Look at all these things and people and situations that aren’t the way I want them to be . . .

The benefits of physical activity: exercise can help reduce stress and improve our overall mental and physical well-being, which can help us stop overthinking. When you complain, you are putting yourself in reactive mode. You are communicating to yourself and others that you are not responsible, and you relinquish your agency in favor of someone else’s. One way to be more proactive is to get positively ruthless with the bad habit of complaining. Nothing good ever comes of complaining! You may think you feel a bit better after whining about something you’re unhappy with, but all you do is disempower yourself further (and probably bore others). This explores the ways in which our beliefs and agreements with ourselves and others can shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. In the book, Ruiz suggests that overthinking is often a result of not being true to ourselves and of breaking these agreements.