Even in peacetime, many people suffer from obsessive thoughts, overthinking syndrome, or, as it is called in yogic tradition – chitta vritti, whirlpools of the mind that must be silenced to achieve a state of inner peace (or to get closer to it). In phases of obsessive thinking that drains energy because thoughts are repeated without any resolution, we tend to revisit scenarios from the past or worry about the future, unaware of the fact that there is only what is – now. Meditation is, of course, the best remedy for calming the mind, and there are also several tricks that help eliminate obsessive thoughts. More specifically, psychologist Jenny Maenpaa has identified three strategies for CNBC that can be helpful, especially in these dark times when the idea of achieving inner peace seems almost impossible.
1. Positive ‘Reframing’
This strategy is often confused with toxic positivity, which demands that people think positively regardless of how difficult their situation is. Reframing, or viewing things from a different perspective, does not exclude negative aspects but changes the way we look at them. One then considers whether the person can change the situation, learn something from it, or gain any benefit. Maenpaa uses the example of a boss who despises his job because, in addition to having enormous responsibility and brutal deadlines, he must manage a team of complex individuals. Instead of complaining and repeating the thought ‘I hate my job,’ he should acknowledge that challenges exist and then see what he can concretely do – lower expectations or make some new decisions. In this way, he strengthens his ability to change what troubles him, and the decisions he makes can initially be small, seemingly insignificant, but will encourage him and motivate him to tackle the problem. Of course, in situations like war, changing one’s thinking or perspective is difficult, but it is worth trying.
