We’ve all been there. You meet someone, and suddenly you can’t stop thinking about them. Your mind is constantly occupied with thoughts of what they’re doing, who they’re with, and how you can get closer to them. Before you know it, you’re overthinking everything and driving yourself crazy.
When you like someone, it’s natural to start overthinking things. You might worry about what they think of you, or whether you said the right thing. Before long, your thoughts can spiral out of control, and you may find yourself obsessing over the person. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry – there are ways to stop overthinking about someone you like.
By taking a step back and focusing on yourself, you can calm down your mind and start thinking more clearly. Read on for tips on how to do just that!
The first step is to realize that overthinking is a habit. And like all habits, it can be broken with time and patience. Start by acknowledging that overthinking is a coping mechanism, and it’s one that you’ve probably been using for a long time. It’s become an automatic response to certain situations or thoughts, and it’s probably not going to go away overnight.
Get in touch with your feelings
When you overthink about someone, it’s usually because you’re not sure how you feel about them. Spend some time thinking about why you’re drawn to them and what qualities make them appealing. Once you have a better understanding of your feelings, it will be easier to stop overthinking the situation.
Understand that overthinking is usually a sign of insecurity – you’re worried that the person doesn’t reciprocate your feelings or that you are not perfect, beautiful, or slim enough, so you keep going over it in your head, to the point where you can’t focus on anything else. Insecurity can manifest itself in many ways, but overthinking is one of the most common.
When you’re insecure, you may worry constantly about your appearance, your relationships, and your place in the world. This can lead to a lot of unhealthy thinking and obsessing over things that usually aren’t worth worrying about. If you find yourself constantly overthinking, it’s important to take some time to reflect on why you’re feeling this way, and how you can work to address your insecurity head-on.
Get in touch with your feelings and ask yourself, “Do I really feel that all this thinking is worth my energy and time?” “How do I feel when I think about that person all day?” “Do I intend to continue or do I want to make a positive change?”
Distance yourself
Start by distancing yourself from thinking about this person all the time. Put some physical distance between the two of you, if possible. If you work together or go to school together, try to find ways to avoid them as much as possible. When you can’t avoid them, try to be civil but distant.
It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s the best way to clear your head and figure out what – if anything – you want from this person. Plus, being around them will only make it harder to resist temptation. So take a step back, and focus on taking care of yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
Occupy your time with other things
We all know this is easy to say but hard to do. However, this is one of the most effective ways to stop overthinking about someone you like. The more our mind is occupied by something else, the less we think about that specific person.
When overthinking about someone you like for a long time, it’s like you’re locked in a jar. What you need to do is open the lid of the jar and leave it. Thinking of new things to do can be a good way to stop overthinking about someone. If you need some ideas, try these:
- Set new goals. If you’ve always wanted to lose weight, now is the time to dedicate all your time and energy to this.
- Do something atypical – either something you normally don’t do regularly or something that feels just out of your comfort zone – like singing karaoke or taking up an art class.
- Engage in physical activity. It can be running, walking, gardening, or cooking. Engaging in these types of activities not only gets your body moving and distracting you from those troubling thoughts; they also stimulate endorphins that increase your mood and decrease stress.
Putting effort into any of these things should help take your mind off of what’s been consuming it lately!
Talk through your thoughts
When you talk to someone, you’re giving your brain a break from overthinking. It can be really helpful to talk through your thoughts and worries with someone who will listen and offer support. Not only does this allow you to release some of the tension you’re feeling, but it also helps you to gain some clarity and perspective on the situation. Plus, simply having someone to talk to can make you feel more connected and less alone, which can also help reduce feelings of anxiety or overthinking.
If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone you know for whatever reason, you might want to consider talking to a therapist or counselor. They are trained professionals who can help you work through your issues and find solutions that work for you.
Travel solo
Traveling alone is a great opportunity to explore new parts of the world and experience things you may not have been able to otherwise.
As for overthinking about someone you like, it could help in some ways. One way is that by interacting with people from other countries, neighborhoods, cultures, and backgrounds, it will make you less likely to compare your own life with others. In doing this, you would be better equipped at understanding where you fit into the world. This realization alone can be empowering which in turn could stop you from constantly thinking about someone else because it’s a good reminder that your life is just as valid as anyone else’s on this entire planet full of billions of human beings!
Plan a short trip, pack your backpack, and embark on a journey. When you travel alone, it helps you to trust yourself and your instincts more. At the same time, you will be busy all day, which will help you immensely to stop overthinking about someone. You can also meet new people and realize that if you can travel alone, you can stop overthinking about the person you like!
Of course, traveling alone also has its drawbacks, such as having to be more careful, accommodation can be more expensive because you do not have shared but a private room, etc. Even so, traveling alone offers more advantages than disadvantages and it can be a form of self-discovery or enlightenment that is priceless.
Last words
It’s not easy to decide to stop overthinking about someone we like and to do so right away, or achieve an overnight result. But there are ways to make this easier and less painful for everyone involved. The next time you feel like your head is spinning with thoughts of a crush or ex-lover, try some of the tips mentioned above. You’ll be surprised how much better things will go if you take control of your mind and emotions!
