I used to be a victim of this myself. My solution to this problem (which works very well) is to lead a life of strict routine, where every hour is allotted for doing something specific. As I stuck to the routine, this whole overthinking thing magically disappeared as I simply didn't have the time to overthink. Everything is also progressing 10 times faster as well. I can't guarantee that it will work for you too but it's worth a try.
Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
21–30 of 63 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#22I used to be a victim of this myself. My solution to this problem (which works very well) is to lead a life of strict routine, where every hour is allotted for doing something specific. As I stuck to the routine, this whole overthinking thing magically disappeared as I simply didn't have the time to overthink. Everything is also progressing 10 times faster as well. I can't guarantee that it will work for you too but…
^^^ THIS ^^^
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#23Trite answer here - try meditation. Force yourself to take a regular (daily) space in your life where you sit down specifically to empty your mind of all thoughts. By doing this you may find that your mind starts to respond to the stimulus (lack of stimulus?) and forge new pathways to stop your pattern of destructive thinking. It's worked for me, and may well do the trick for you.
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#24Speaking as someone twice your age who has felt similarly I'd say the best advice on this thread is to time schedule everything and have a clear output for anything. Force yourself only to think a couple of weeks ahead for the next 6 months and nail that habit, then your tendency to project everything forward ad infinitum may become a useful tool rather than persistent curse.
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#25Hey dude,
I'm in pretty much the same position: mid twenties, white male, working tech industry etc but with a twist - I live in South Africa where inequality is a dinner table topic.
So, how do I deal with shit? Mostly I don't, to be honest. But whats been keeping me sane is this:
1 )Work towards a goal that you know will enable you to give back. If it's donating to charity or volunteering work, its this crazy thing that happens when you start really thinking of giving back to people with less with no expectation of getting anything in return.
And:
2) Meditation. Being able to view your thoughts as thoughts and nothing more. Learning to become mindful of whats currently around you and how to appreciate it, especially yourself.
Hope this helps. More than keen to chat about it if you want.
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#26If this is a good example of the impostors syndrome you'll be happy to read about it and start feeling better. There is probably no unique answer but this might help https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#27I live by a philosophy: Don't get greedy. Do your best. In my 20s.. I thought too much. So much I'd get lost in there. So much I'd have entire relationships with women before even knowing their name. SO much that I would create scenarios and play out the entire thing in my head before it happened. So much that I barely slept and when I did, it was the only peace I had. I was in college and felt like a "grownup" yet n…
This is great - one thing I'd clarify is the bit on bullshit.
Learn what bullshit is. Bullshit is something anything or anyone that is working against your goals or general happiness.
Once you see some bullshit DON'T tolerate it. Remove it from your life as much as possible. You only have the ability to have one thought or feeling at a time. Do you really want that thought to be on bullshit?
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#28>I am a mid 20s white male who has been afforded immense privilege in life. Stop right there. You've been brainwashed by SJWs in the so-called 'educational' establishment into believing that you somehow have some magic 'white, male privilege'. It's utter nonsense. They've been psychologically abusing you your whole life, harping on about 'racism' and 'sexism' and 'diversity' and 'tolerance', while condemning you for…
Wow, you see a lot of this type of the_donald spillover ranting on reddit, but HN has been mostly immune so far. The idea that being born rich, or white, or male can afford certain privileges is well supported. That is not condemnation.
While arguing it's unfair to paint white men do broadly, you immediately go on to paint "sjws" the same way. Tolerance is not a "schtick".
Then you go on to mention theredpill, the reddit community that treats women like objects. That is not a solution for OP.
Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#29>I am a mid 20s white male who has been afforded immense privilege in life. Stop right there. You've been brainwashed by SJWs in the so-called 'educational' establishment into believing that you somehow have some magic 'white, male privilege'. It's utter nonsense. They've been psychologically abusing you your whole life, harping on about 'racism' and 'sexism' and 'diversity' and 'tolerance', while condemning you for…
To pretend privilege doesn't exist is silly. Being born in the U.S. is by definition being born in a position of privilege. Even if you're born in a bad neighborhood from a bad set of parents, still there are more opportunities than someone born in a slum of say ... Somalia. People are not born equal. This is a fact. However, that does not mean that you should judge their choices by that birth. True equality is judgi…
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Re: Ask HN: How to stop overthinking everything in my life?
#30I've been through something like this – up until I've hit ~25 years. I was fairly "disorganized". Issues w/ all forms of "authorities", trouble w/ my personal finances, not taking care of my mental (taking rest and time off) and physical (sleep, nutrition, exercise) health, never sucking it up striving towards overcoming adversities (however minor they might be). Most of all, starting many things, but never finishing anyth, which really invoked constant background anxiety.
Chaos and disorder.
Not sure what happened exactly, but there was one point where I couldn't anymore.
Looking back, I think what really was a breakthrough for me was journaling. First thing in the morning and right after opening my eyes, in free form w/o correcting my self. Just letting it out.
With time your thought becomes more precise and there comes clarity. I've started picking patterns in my way of thinking, my habits and behaviors – pretty much in all aspects of my life. I've started tracking other aspects of my life, which led to other insights and finding in a very quantified way what works and does not works for me.
Still, you're here on HN. I'm pretty sure that despite everything you go through now, there is something internally which does keeps you on the right track in the grand scheme of the things. There is exploration and exploitation. The time will show.
I would also highly recommend you checking Dr. Jordan Peterson's lectures "Maps of Meaning" on YouTube and his "Self Authoring" program.