Member-only story
Here’s What to Do When Your Mind Won’t Switch Off
A philosophical approach to overthinking
It’s fair to say that I’ve had to face more difficult situations in my twenties than I’d anticipated.
There’s was my parents’ separation, my fiancé’s cancer diagnosis and then all of the other stuff that comes with being a young guy trying to make a career out of his dream job.
All of these situations present challenges of themselves: coping with change, the prospect of loss and the uncertainty of financial security. By far, though, my most formidable foe has been my own mind.
It’s been a challenge — wrestling with my busy thoughts. But I’ve learned how to cope in the process.
If there’s one quote that sums up my approach to the whirlwind that this past year has been, it’s the following gem from Marcus Aurelius,
‘Today I escaped from anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions — not outside.’
The battles we face usually have more to do with our mentality than anything else. It’s not the situation that’s difficult. The difficult part is dealing with our thoughts.
