Stop Overthinking 4 Ways to Ignite Your Intuition

Overthinking is a roadblock to your authentic self. Stop overthinking! Learn to quiet your mind and embrace intuition to rediscover who you truly are.

If you find yourself trapped in a swirling vortex of thoughts, perpetually analyzing and strategizing, this article is for you. I spent years as a prisoner of my own overactive mind. The drive to succeed, plan, and problem-solve is ingrained in us women. Thinking isn’t just something we do; it often feels like it defines us.

But what if I told you your endless strategizing might be the very thing holding you back? When we become slaves to our relentless thoughts, we lose sight of another incredible power residing within – intuition. That inner voice, those gut feelings, the subtle hunches…these carry a wisdom that transcends pure logic. Yet, many of us neglect our intuition, letting it grow faint against the constant hum of our busy minds.

The Thinking Mind: Master and Servant

Our thinking minds are truly remarkable. They’ve helped us navigate careers, build relationships, and overcome challenges. They rely on past experiences, accumulated knowledge, and the ability to identify patterns. This type of thinking is essential! But here’s the problem – overthinking can cause destructive thought patterns, trapping us in loops of anxiety, indecision, and self-doubt.

Think of those times you replay a conversation, agonizing over every word. Or those moments when you create scenarios of future disasters, catastrophizing situations that have yet to unfold. This is overthinking. It’s like your brain is trying to control everything, leaving no room for spontaneity, for faith in the unseen. Have you ever talked yourself out of a fantastic opportunity because your thinking mind screamed “risky!” or “impractical!”? Those are the moments when your incredible brain, meant to serve you, starts running the show.

Stop Overthinking: My Journey from Proving to Trusting

When I was in my teens, I took offense to people assuming I was an airhead due to my blonde hair. I detested when people thought I was unintelligent. My desire to conquer the world and become a successful woman probably started earlier in childhood, but it wasn’t until my teens that she started to come out.

When I was 17, I worked at a home improvement store in the electric, plumbing, and hardware departments. Customers would often approach me in an aisle and ask if I could find someone who could help them. My stomach turned, knowing that they thought I was an empty shell. I’d ask what they needed and usually stunned them with my knowledge.

Beyond the store’s training, I rewired my parents’ house, updated our plumbing, and tested drills, saws, and tools. The smell of sawdust and the hum of a power tool made me feel powerful. I aimed to master it all and always have the right answer. I wanted to be smart and perfect so that I could conquer the world. This behavior led me to grow my mind at the expense of listening to my inner voice.

Because of my need to always be right and in control, I became narrow-minded, anxious, and full of self-doubt. My inability to stop overthinking was causing me issues! I wasn’t authentic, and I felt lost. It wasn’t until I actively started listening to my intuition that I started to feel true power—the kind of power that comes from trusting myself, not the world’s expectations of a ‘smart’ woman. (Make sure to read my story about the power of self-love).

Intuition: The Compass Within

Intuition is like an internal compass. It’s your body, heart, and soul processing a vast amount of information at lightning speed. It feels into situations, tapping into your subconscious knowledge, your unique life experiences, and the subtle cues missed by your busy, logical mind.

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt tension, even if everyone was smiling? Or met someone and felt a strange aversion, unable to pinpoint a reason? Or, on the flip side, have you been drawn to someone, feeling an instant spark despite just being introduced? That’s intuition speaking to you, loud and clear.

Some dismiss intuition as mystical or flaky, but that’s selling it short. Scientists increasingly understand intuition as a form of rapid cognition, working behind the scenes, picking up on patterns and signals your conscious mind doesn’t register. It’s about wisdom, not just wild guesses. It’s far removed from thinking and a way to stop overthinking.

Why Trusting Our Gut is So Damn Hard

We’ve been conditioned to mistrust the illogical. Society values evidence, data, and rational explanations. Intuition sometimes leads us in directions that make zero sense on paper. Plus, our brains are wired for survival, and taking the road less traveled can feel terrifying, even when that road is intuitively the right one.

And let’s not forget the constant barrage of advice! Friends, family, the media… there’s no shortage of people eager to tell us how to live, drowning out our own internal guidance system. Learning how to stop the overthinking mind isn’t taught in our culture.

Reaping the Rewards of Intuition

Learning to honor your intuition has the possibility of changing everything. Think of it less as a replacement to stop overthinking and more as a beautiful dance between the two. Here’s what happens when you start listening to that inner knowing:

• Empowered Decisions: You make choices that feel right logically and at your very core. This creates alignment and a powerful sense of inner peace.
• Boosted Confidence: When you act on intuition and see positive results, your faith in yourself grows exponentially.
• Less Worry, More Flow: When you trust something greater than your overthinking mind, anxiety fades. Life feels less like a struggle and more like an unfolding journey.
• Authenticity Amplified: Intuition guides you down your unique path. The more you tap into it, the more you shed the “shoulds” and step into the most authentic version of yourself.

Tap into Your Inner Wisdom: A Starter Guide

How do I stop being an overthinker? How do I calm my mind from overthinking? Grab a copy of my Gratitude Journal Workbook for starters. Also:

• Tune into Your Body: Intuition whispers through sensations. A flutter in your belly, a tightness in your chest – notice these subtle cues. Start a “body journal” to track these sensations alongside major decisions. You’ll notice patterns!
• Silence the Noise: Meditation, nature, creative outlets – find what quiets the mind. Intuition thrives in stillness and will allow you to stop overthinking.
• Journal Without Judgement: Freewriting, or journaling, is a powerful way to tap into the unconscious flow. Don’t censor yourself; just let the words spill out.
• Embrace the “Huh?” Moment: When you feel drawn to something unexplainable, don’t dismiss it! Explore with curiosity, even if it means stepping off the well-worn path.

Trust the process! Intuition is like a muscle– the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. There will be times when it feels uncertain, but remember, you are built for this. Trusting your gut is a profound act of self-love and a key to unlocking your most joyful and fulfilling life. It’s time to ditch the overthinking and let your intuition shine!

And remember that it’s easy to fall back into the trap of wondering how to stop overthinking. We all do it. Don’t get upset with yourself. Instead, remind yourself to detach from identifying with your thoughts. Take a deep breath and keep opening up to intuition.

What about You?

I’m fascinated to know what ONE thing strongly sparks your intuition or gets you to stop overthinking. Is it a physical sensation, an image that pops into your mind, or something completely different? Let’s learn from each other! Leave your comments below.