Do you find yourself spinning?
I am not talking about dancing, being on a stationary bike, or the time you drank too much. I’m talking about emotionally spinning. The kind that comes from over-thinking and feeling like you are not in control of your own life.
The worst is when the spins come at night.
You crawl into bed after a long day and your mind starts racing. You can’t fall asleep. Or you wake up in the middle of the night bombarded by a bunch of negative thoughts.
Then you can’t fall BACK to sleep.
Why didn’t that person call me back?
I’m nervous about my big meeting tomorrow.
I shouldn’t have lost my temper.
I have made a big mistake.
It’s like having a song stuck in your head and you just can’t make it stop.
The truth is most things will resolve on their own. Whatever you are spinning about today is unlikely to be a problem a year from now. Or even a week from now. And yet, when you are in it, you just want to get off the merry-go-round as fast as possible.
So here’s one of my favorite hacks to stop emotionally spinning:
Take a journal, or a piece of paper, and write down all of your negative thoughts. One thought at a time. Read over the list and find the “noisiest” one.
Then put it through the truth filter. Is it true? Is it 100% true? We tend to treat our thoughts as facts, but they are just thoughts.
When you feel like your list is complete, go back to bed and try this relaxation technique. Place one hand over your heart and your other hand on top of that hand and breathe.
- Inhale on the count of three
- Exhale on the count of four
- Repeat until relaxed.
If noisy thoughts try to creep back in, simply say, “Not now.”
Imagine yourself in your happy place. On vacation. Sitting on a beach. Hugging someone you love.
Spinning belongs on the dance floor or on a bike… not in your mind.
If you find yourself spinning too often or just wanting more control back in your life, reach out to me. I can help.
