The overthinking trap: you find yourself going back and forth endlessly, struggling to make an important decision (or perhaps even a not-so-important one). You weigh your options in hopes of identifying the best course of action, but you don't seem to be making any progress. Instead, you keep winding up right back where you started.
 
It's easy to start overthinking when you're aiming for a perfect decision that guarantees everything goes exactly as planned. But given the complexity of life with all its twists and turns, you never know when or how something unexpected might come along and throw things off. At the same time, decisions carry real consequences that can be far-reaching and long-lasting, so it’s worth investing time and care to make the best decisions possible. 

Here are five tips to help you find that healthy middle ground: sound decisions without falling into the trap of overthinking.

Is change good, bad, or something else entirely?

Looking back on some of the major changes in your life, there were probably times when you welcomed change with open arms, eager to discover whatever lay ahead for you. There have likely been a few occasions when instead of welcoming change, you resisted and ran from it — even when you knew change of some sort was unavoidable or perhaps very much needed.
 
Part of what makes change so unnerving is its inherent unpredictability. Even a minor change in life can be an intense experience that destabilizes us and leaves us feeling disoriented. No matter how much you try to plan and prepare for it, change has the potential to wind up encompassing more than you bargained for.

People are always setting goals, but what happens when it's time to follow through on those goals? That's the stage where people often get stuck. Even with the best of intentions and a sincere effort, you might feel as if you're fighting an uphill battle as you struggle to see your goal through to completion. 
 
The inability to successfully reach a desired goal isn't just frustrating and disheartening. It can lead to a loss of confidence, making you shrink back from pursuing other goals in future. But what if the problem isn't you?  What if the problem isn't some inherent shortcoming on your part, but rather you simply haven't found the right approach for pursuing your goal?

As we get caught up in the busyness of life and consumed with daily responsibilities, it’s easy to ignore those areas where things aren't quite right. We tackle our to-do lists and immerse ourselves in routine chores, meanwhile all those outstanding issues are alive and well in the background, subtly distracting us and leaving us preoccupied. Over time, we become increasingly dragged down by those issues, with our energy and joy slowly being depleted.

And oftentimes, it’s the little things that wind up having a big impact on us in this regard.

Most people have no problem understanding intellectually that action is required to achieve their goals. However, they struggle with making the progression from "knowing" to actually "doing" in their lives. Day after day, they tell themselves they need to do something, yet they continue with their usual routine.  As a result, nothing happens and the desired achievement they want for eludes them.

Do you have a goal in mind that you've thought about pursuing, but you're struggling to take action and make that first move?  Or, do you find that your biggest hurdle is following through once you've started?

The following strategies will help you strengthen your resolve and build the necessary momentum to carry you forward once you get started.

Your feelings are part of an amazing and powerful communication system designed to guide and protect you.  While you don't want to be trapped, controlled, or incapacitated by your feelings, you do want to be aware of them and cognizant of what you're experiencing at any given time.

That awareness enables you to assess what's going on in your life so you can choose how best to respond. 
 
As you strive to become more attuned to your feelings, here are seven feelings you should never ignore.

“Do your own thing and stop caring about what others think."

You've likely read or heard the above sentiment at some point, if not many times. But is this sound advice? Do you benefit by living your life with no concern or regard for what other people think? 

Despite being well-intentioned, when taken at face value, this sentiment overlooks the reality of who we are as human beings, how we function, and what it takes to maintain healthy, harmonious relationships.

Do you consider yourself to be a bit of a misfit?  If you answered yes, there have likely been countless times when you felt isolated, alone, and disconnected from other people. You may have found yourself thinking life would be so much easier and simpler if you could just be like all the folks around you.  

Not fitting in with everyone else can be challenging at times, but there's another side to it.  Misfits possess all kinds of unique and valuable traits.
 
Here are five great qualities to be found among the misfits of our world.  As you review each quality, think about how it shows up in your own life and shapes who you are.

You're constantly making choices as you live your life each day.  You choose what to focus on and how to spend your time.  You choose who to spend time with and which relationships to invest in.  You choose your thoughts and responses to all the different situations and circumstances that come your way. 

Over time, the choices you engage in repeatedly become habits.  And those habits matter; they influence the trajectory of your life.


Habits Influence the Trajectory of Your Life
 
Your life reflects a collision of a multitude of factors.  Some of these factors can be anticipated and/or controlled; others are entirely beyond your control. 

You're tired of how things are going in your life and ready for a change.  Maybe you want to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight.  Maybe you want to get more organized.  Maybe you want to improve an important relationship; or perhaps start a new one.  Maybe you're looking for more meaning in your life, and a purpose you can truly get excited about.
 
Whatever it is, you think about it constantly and even visualize it, yet nothing happens.  Nothing changes and each day feels just like the one before.  Meanwhile, you find your hope and enthusiasm gradually draining away. 

Imagine someone coming away from a serious car crash with a major leg injury.  The crash itself might have only lasted a few seconds; the effects of the injury, however will last much longer.  Extensive rehabilitation will be needed over an extended period for the leg to fully heal and be restored to its original condition.  ​
 

Recovering from emotional injury and regaining full functionality takes time.

We readily accept that recovering from a physical injury and regaining full functionality takes time, work, and support, with a few challenges and setbacks along the way.  Yet we often struggle to accept that recovery from an emotional injury requires the same process.  We can be incredibly hard on ourselves, thinking we should be able to recover quickly and easily, all on our own.  

Or, perhaps you open up and share with someone in hopes of receiving support and empathy, but instead you're told you should “just get over it" and move on.  You're left feeling dismissed and diminished as a result.