15 Overthinking Quotes To Help You Stop Worrying

Are you a worrier by nature? Do you have a hard time imagining how some people just coast through life without any worries? How do they do it? What makes one person worry about absolutely everything, while the next person seemingly doesn’t have a care in the world? Are there lives so different? Do they face none of the same circumstances? If they are facing the same kinds of dilemmas day in and day out, how can one be so calm and put together, while the other is nothing short of a mess?

A bit of one-on-one coaching could help you worry less and be more confident in life, your decisions, your accomplishments, your beliefs, etc. With a little coaching, you could become the person you currently misunderstand – one who is calm, well-adjusted, and serene.

A bit more on coaching later. For now, however, let’s look at some of the best quotes about overthinking in an effort to help you worry less. Remember, don’t sweat the small stuff and… It’s all small stuff.

Author Unknown: Quotes to Stop Over Thinking

Though many well-known people have had a lot to say about overthinking, and what they said has gone down in history, the author isn’t always common knowledge. Here are some quotes by unknown authors (some paraphrasing may apply):

1. In answer to the question of “What is overthinking?,” an unknown author replied: “It is the art of taking old problems that never existed in the first place and creating new problems out of them.”
2. What’s most troubling in this world? Answer: “In all the world, there is nothing that can trouble you as much as your own thoughts.”
3. What good is worrying? “Get excited about what can go right instead of worrying about what can go wrong.”
4. What good is overthinking? “Instead of living in the present and acting in the present – overthinking makes you immerse yourself in fears and worries and dwell in the past.”
5. Why are you unhappy? “Keep yourself occupied. The biggest cause of unhappiness is overthinking. If things don’t help you, keep your mind off of them.”

Celebrity How to Stop Overthinking Quotes

Celebrities will usually weigh in on just about anything, you just have to ask their opinion. Here’s what some of them had to say about overthinking and worrying (some paraphrasing may apply):

6. Saturday Night Live comedian Amy Poehler: “Remember, the talking about the thing isn’t the thing. Doing the thing is the thing.”
7. England’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill: “When I look back on all these worries, I remember a story of an old man. He was on his deathbed and said, “I’ve had a lot of trouble in my life.” Then he admitted, “Most of which had never happened.”
8. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “To take just the first step, you don’t have to see the whole staircase.”
9. Silence of the Lambs actor Sir Anthony Hopkins: “We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Overthinking is causing us to die… It’s a death trap. The human mind can never be trusted.” 

Authors Doing What Authors Do – Writing

It seems you can’t stop an author from writing, and so they have. Here, regarding how to stop overthinking quotes (some paraphrasing may apply):

10. Pygmalion author and political activist, George Bernard Shaw: “People sometimes become more attached to their burdens, than are the burdens attached to them.”
11. Novelist and short story author, Sylvia Plath: “My mother said that helping somebody who was worse off than you was the cure for thinking too much about yourself.”
12. Italian born Swiss philanthropist and billionaire businessman, Ernesto Bertarelli: “You can’t change who you are, but you can refresh what you’re thinking about, you can change what you have in your head, and you can put some fresh air in your brain.”
13. American philanthropist and businessman, W. Clement Stone: “Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will.”

Great Minds

It comes as no surprise that great minds have come up with great quotes about how to stop overthinking and worrying:

14. Buddha: “Nothing can harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.”
15. Theory of Relativity developer and physicist, Albert Einstein: “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”

What Is Overthinking?

To deal with anxiety, humans tend to use a maladaptive strategy referred to as overthinking. To the point where it’s unhelpful, you over-analyze an issue, maybe to the point of being harmful. You feel like you’re going to do something, so it’s tempting. But, in a loop of anxiety and negative thoughts, you risk getting stuck.

Why Do People Overthink Things?

Does everyone overthink things? It seems like some people manage to avoid it quite nicely. What leads to it? Experts say that anxiety and stress are overthinking triggers. It can be a sign of the times, or you may simply be prone to it. Psychologically, there may be a handful of reasons why you’re constantly overthinking things: 

• Fear of conflict – Whenever possible, some people will do anything to avoid conflict. In order to do so, they may end up overthinking.
• Overgeneralization – You may think that overthinking will help in one area of your life because a lot of thinking has helped in past areas with certain problems. You’re overgeneralizing.
• Secondary gain – Some people try to avoid decision-making. So, as an excuse for procrastinating, they overthink. Others gain a feeling of pleasure because they receive pity and sympathy from people due to their excessive worrying and overthinking.          
• Perfectionism – You know it’s impossible to be perfect. But no one likes to feel less-than-perfect – their tolerance of it is low, at best. So you don’t have to feel less-than-perfect, you tend to overthink things as a distraction.
• An illusion of certainty – No one likes to be uncertain about anything. If, regarding uncertainty, you’re in denial, this is a form of overthinking.
• An illusion of control – We tend to worry the most about things we can’t actually do anything about, no matter how much we like to think we are in control.
• Childhood learning – Early in life, you may have developed the habit of overthinking. It’s how you dealt with difficult, scary experiences.

Why Is Overthinking So Bad?

Balance is the key when it comes to thinking about a problem. You run the risk of paralysis by analysis if you overthink, but you’ll make uninformed choices if you think (consider) too little.

Overanalyzing, despite what it feels like, doesn’t enable problem-solving. More problems can, in fact, be caused by overthinking. It can amplify feelings of danger, interfere with good judgment, and escalate your anxiety.

Are You an Overthinker?

There is careful consideration and then, once you cross that line, there is destructive thinking. How do you know if you’re overthinking something? Watch for these telltale signs:

• Those around you tell you you’re overthinking. You can’t see the forest for the trees. If a loved one points out that, in their opinion, you’re overthinking something, maybe you are. If a problem is causing you too much worry or concern, hopefully, someone will let you know.
• Even with an agreed-on solution, do you second-guess yourself? More overthinking is caused by overthinking. Even when a plan or strategy develops, your overthinking doesn’t stop. Even though the problem has been solved, you find yourself going over and over it in your head.
• Decision-making is absolutely not your forte. You’re not actually problem solving when you’re overthinking. It rarely leads, one way or the other, to making a true decision.
• Do you find yourself ruminating? It can be a product of overthinking. Even though you know that other things should be your focus right now, you can’t stop thinking (ruminating) about something else.

Is It Possible To Stop the Madness?

It’s pretty safe to say that no one wants to be a chronic overthinker or worrier. What can you do about it? If you are an overthinker, is it possible to stop? As with many things, experts say the first step is – can you guess? Recognize you have a problem. If, into a negative pattern, you find yourself constantly falling, you may be an overthinker. It is healthy and normal to worry a little. Finding the balance is the trick.

Adaptive worry has its purpose in life. It alerts you to threats and dangers, clarifies a problem, and can then lead you to seek more information or help from others. That, in turn, assists you in problem solving. If those things are not being experienced, however, as a result of your thinking, a line has been crossed. Taking action now can help save your sanity. Diverting your attention, mediation, and staying busy can help overthinkers stop, sometimes.

From the things that worry you, you may need some distraction. You need a way to feel less alone and get outside of your own head. Hopefully, some of the quotes presented above can steer you in the right direction.

Worrying

Why do we worry? What is worrying?

Thinking about the future isn’t exactly worrying; but worrying is, in essence, ruminating about the future. If you’re left feeling apprehensive or anxious while considering future events, you’re probably worrying. Where anxiety disorders go, it is one primary symptom. If you worry a lot, do you necessarily have an anxiety disorder? That is for a professional to answer. But everybody worries. So try not to – worry – about it too much.

Worrying and Your Health

Did you know that worrying is actually unhealthy? It affects your body.

Let’s say, in the back of your head, you had this little, nagging concern. Small as it was, if – way in the recesses of your mind – it sticks around long enough, your heart can be affected. You’re more likely to have a stroke, heart attack, and/or high blood pressure if you are constantly anxious and find yourself worrying obsessively. Making your heart beat harder and faster, stress hormones are triggered by anxiety at higher levels.

Studies have also linked unchecked stress (and people can get pretty stressed out when they worry obsessively) to things like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Once a Worrier Always a Worrier?

If you worry obsessively, think about how much better you’d feel if you could stop! Is it possible? Experts say there are ways to reduce your worrying. They suggest the following to reduce anxiety, stress, and worrying:

• Try to take positive action
• Exercise on a regular basis
• Figure out what you can control and focus on it
• A consistent sleep schedule should be maintained whenever possible
• Keep a journal detailing your emotions
• Practice gratitude
• Share your fears with family and friends
• Practice self-compassion
• Do some deep breathing
• Meditation and mindfulness go a long way for many individuals

Is there someone you can talk to about all of your worrying? Seek the help of a professional coach or, if you feel the problem is extreme and harmful, seek the advice of a mental health care professional.

Worrying Versus Overthinking

You have seen the words “worry” and “overthinking” a lot here. How do they actually relate? When you ruminate about the past, it involves overthinking which can include worrying about the future. Healthy problem-solving and overthinking are not the same, as referred to earlier. 

• What is problem-solving? When necessary, you think about a difficult situation and try to solve the problem. 
• What is overthinking? This involves a problem, but instead of just thinking about how to solve it, you dwell on it.

Saved the Best for Last

Let us close by presenting, for your consideration, possibly one of the best “stop overthinking quotes” here from Apple co-founder and entrepreneur Steve Jobs (some paraphrasing may apply): 

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” 

Stop Worrying and Overthinking by Getting The Coaching You So Deserve

Instead of worrying and ruminating about the past, present, and future, what if you did something that would really leave your mark, after you’re gone. A little coaching could go a long way.

Do you worry and overthink things compulsively and obsessively? Is your brain so busy that you sometimes wish you could just shut off your mind periodically? If you’re worrying, overthinking, wondering what it’s all about, and hoping you could get your thoughts straight, it’s time for some coaching.

SAHY Motivation would like to introduce you to the many benefits of coaching. Attend your next coaching session from the comfort of your office or home with one of my YouTube videos.