Overthinking has always been a quiet force in the background of my life. Sometimes helpful, but often exhausting. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to manage it, fix it, or outsmart it. I’ve always wondered if the real shift comes not from trying to control it, but from letting go altogether. This post isn’t advice or a solution. It’s just me reflecting on something I’ve been experiencing and trying to understand in real-time.
The Overthinking Mind and Giving Up Control
Control isn’t always something we need to chase. In fact, learning to loosen our grip is sometimes the only way to quiet the overthinking mind.
When I stop trying to be the thinker, and instead allow my thoughts to rise and fall on their own, something shifts. The mind becomes still like a body of water left undisturbed. The more I try to grab hold of it, to shape or steer every thought in a certain direction, the more chaotic it becomes. Thoughts, like water, slip through tight fingers.
Letting the mind do what it does, without interference, creates space. And in that space, I become more of an observer than a participant of the minds folly. That distance, however subtle, brings a kind of peace I rarely feel when I’m tangled up in constant mental chatter.
A calm mind opens the door to a quieter kind of clarity. When I’m in that state, decisions feel more intuitive and grounded… aligned with something deeper and more authentic. But when I’m caught in anxious loops, I tend to act hastily, chasing distractions or bouncing between half-finished projects. I become scattered, convinced I need to do everything, all at once.
But when I give my mind breathing room—by slowing down, focusing on my breath, or grounding myself in my body, clarity seems to return. I make choices that feel right, not rushed and not reactive.
That being said, it’s not easy. Writing this feels much simpler than living it. I slip. Old habits creep in. The cycle returns: anxiety, reaction, guilt… and then the loop repeats.
Still, I’ve found that even just noticing the loop gives me a little leverage. Every time I come back to the present through the breath, through stillness, I create space between myself and my mind. And in that space, I find a little more peace.
Outro:
I’m still figuring it out. Some days are clearer than others, but maybe that’s part of the process. Not chasing perfection—just noticing more often, and letting go a little more each time. A resource that helped me recognise this was the book The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts and many other books and lectures from Alan Watts.
What about you?
Do you ever catch yourself caught in loops of overthinking? How do you create space when the mind won’t quiet down?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear how others relate to this.
Here There and Everywhere 
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