Learn to separate facts from assumptions and take a more balanced approach to overthinking.
Your Brain Can Give You a Thought Without Giving You a Fact
Your brain is constantly talking to you (Approx 6000 a day – 60000 was just a myth)
All day. (Approx 6.5 per minute)
Sometimes it's useful.
Sometimes it's rubbish.
And sometimes it's somewhere in between.
The problem is that we tend to treat whatever pops into our head as if it must be true.
Someone walks past you at work without saying hello.
Your brain says:
"They're pissed off with me."
Someone sends you a short text.
"What's wrong with them?"
Your boss asks you to come into the office. (My biggest worry myself)
"I've done something wrong."
Your partner is quiet.
"She's angry with me."
Notice what happened.
Something actually happened.
Then your brain filled in the blanks.
The person walked past.
That's a fact.
"They're pissed off with me" is an interpretation.
Those are two very, very different things.
Our brains are incredibly good at making meaning from incomplete information. That's useful because it helps us make quick decisions.
But quick doesn't always mean true.
Sometimes the person walking past was distracted.
Maybe they didn't see you.
Maybe they've got something happening in their own life.
Maybe your boss simply wants to ask you a question.
Maybe your partner is exhausted.
You don't know.
But your brain often doesn't like not knowing, so it makes shit up!
And because this explanation feels real, we can start reacting to it as though it is real.
That's where things can go sideways.
We get defensive.
We become angry.
We withdraw.
We panic.
We start an argument.
We make a decision based on something that was never actually proven to be accurate.
A useful practice is to separate the two.
Ask yourself:
What do I actually know?
And then:
What am I assuming?
That tiny distinction can change a lot.
You don't have to stop having thoughts.
You don't have to argue with your brain.
Just remember:
A thought is something your brain has produced.
It isn't automatically accurate.
Your brain can give you a thought without giving you the truth, because it hasn’t discerned.
And sometimes the smartest thing you can do is pause before acting on it. Take a breath, challenge the assumption, is it true, what could be an alternative. By implementing this simple practice, you will notice a significant change in your assumptions. You create a new neural pathway, with practice it starts as hacking through a rainforest with a machete, overtime, it becomes as concrete 6 lane highway.
Give it a go, see what you notice.
Unsure where to start, want some help. DM me, or go to my website www.iainwheatley.com.au and book an appointment, would love to help you on this journey.
