Escape Overthinking
Break Free with Awareness
If you’ve ever felt trapped in a loop of overthinking, you’re not alone. One thing I've come to realize is that the only way out of the mind is through awareness. You can't think your way out of thinking. You can't solve mental chatter by generating more thoughts—trust me, I've tried. The key lies in becoming aware of your mind's activity and creating space between yourself and the thoughts that are consuming you.
What Happens When You Get Stuck in Overthinking?
Let me give you a real-life example. Say you're mad about something specific—a person said something disrespectful, or maybe something happened to your car. You start ruminating: Why did they say that? They don’t respect me. They always do this. I’m so tired of it. I can’t tolerate this anymore.
Sound familiar? These thoughts spiral, and soon enough, you’re identified with them, fully consumed by the anger. Then comes the next phase: finding a solution. I’ll make sure they regret this. I’m not going to help them next time. Or, if you’re on a healing path, maybe you think, "This isn’t about them. This is something within me. I need to breathe, meditate, or take a walk to clear my mind."
Now, all of these so-called solutions are just more thoughts. Your ego is creating problems and offering solutions. But here’s the thing: the real solution isn’t in thinking your way out. The only way out is to stop thinking.
Easier Said Than Done, Right?
But it’s possible. How? By detaching from the identification with your thoughts and emotions, and instead, becoming aware of them. When you’re mad, don’t just think about being mad—feel it. Experience the drive to fix it. Let the thoughts and the anger flow through you. The moment you become fully aware of what’s happening inside you, you’ve transitioned from being the thinker to being the awareness.
And from here, something interesting happens. You can start going further back into yourself. You realize you’re not just aware of your thoughts—you’re also aware of your breath, your body, and your senses. You are the awareness behind your eyesight, your sense of smell, and the sounds you hear.
This awareness expands the more you practice. It starts with noticing your thoughts, and then it grows. Slowly, the anger, the frustrations, and the need to solve things—they fall away. And all that’s left is you: the awareness itself, untouched by the chaos of the mind.
Michael Singer's Take on Awareness and the Mind
Michael Singer, author of The Untethered Soul, often discusses the concept of the "seat of consciousness." He explains that you are not your thoughts, emotions, or even your mind. You are the one who is aware of these things—the observer behind it all.
Singer teaches us to take a step back and simply witness the mind without getting caught up in its activity. By doing so, you create the space needed to allow thoughts and emotions to pass through you, rather than letting them take control.
What Singer points out, and what I’ve found to be true, is that we often try to fix our inner turmoil by controlling the external world or by thinking up ways to quiet the mind. But the truth is, the mind never quiets down when you try to control it. It only quiets down when you let go and allow yourself to become the awareness behind it.
Practical Questions for Self-Reflection
Let’s take this one step further—reflect on your own experience:
How often do you catch yourself getting lost in overthinking or trying to "think" your way out of an emotion or situation?
What does it feel like when you’re fully identified with a thought—when it’s running your life in that moment?
What would happen if you took a step back and observed your thoughts instead of engaging with them?
Think about it: What happens when you stop trying to control your thoughts? What do you notice when you allow yourself to just be aware of them without acting on them?
Shifting into awareness isn’t always easy, but it’s a practice that can lead to peace. As you go about your day, see if you can catch yourself when the mind starts to spiral. When that happens, pause and remind yourself to observe the thought instead of engaging with it. You might be surprised by how much freedom and space you create within yourself when you allow your thoughts to flow instead of trying to solve every problem with your mind.
Key Takeaways for Practicing Awareness:
Stop Overthinking: The first step is recognizing that more thinking doesn’t solve thinking.
Be Present: Allow yourself to feel the emotions without trying to solve them.
Expand Awareness: Practice awareness by focusing on your thoughts, breath, and surroundings.
Let Go: As Michael Singer says, the mind quiets down when you let go and observe.
Final Thought
Awareness is something we can all practice. By learning to step out of the mind and into a state of being aware, we give ourselves a chance to experience peace, clarity, and inner calm. Next time you’re caught in overthinking, remind yourself that you don’t have to solve every thought—you can simply observe and let go.
