3 easy ways to stop overthinking your mistakes

3 easy ways to stop overthinking your mistakes3 easy ways to stop overthinking your mistakesI like to think I present as an outwardly normalperson, but underneath that surface is an anxious mind that replays lifes embarrassmentsuntil the tape wears out.Why do I keep calling that guy Ive met multiple times by the wrong name? Will that editor I wanted to impress remember that awkward, vulnerable attempt at networking in excruciating detail, like I still do? Am I asking too many questions in this meeting? My laugh was anxious but it came out inappropriate, and now everyone must think Im a jerk forever.These are all negative thoughts that hound me long after the interaction ends - and they probably hound you too. Its what makes networking so fraught were often afraid well screw up and make enemies instead of friends.But all this worrying is taking up valuable real estate in my mind that I can be putting towards solutions, getting things done, and movingon with my awkward life.Im working on unlearning these bad impulses and heres what Ive learned on this journey towards being okay with my brain.1. Let it go after 7 secondsAll of us have moments when we put our foot in our mouths and say or do something weird, awkward, or unnecessary in public.What you should do next goes against the logic every anxious person feels.Here it is Instead of obsessing overevery detail of this interactionforever, you mustlet that momentgo.Give yourself seven seconds to cringe and process that youre a flawed human being like everyone else, and then release that embarrassment into the ether.Thats the advice Leah Beckmann gave that spoke to my ever-worrying soul. So you got weird at your office Christmas party, she wrote for Jezebel. Give it a full seven seconds, and release it. Yeah, you did make a weird noise with your mouth when you were alone with someone in the kitchen, and? Laugh about it to yourself for exactly seven seconds and then never think about it again. Anything longer is too long.Of course, this advice is for the everyday embarrassments of being human, not the really big screwups. For those, you should try to make amends or clarify, it wasnt my intention. Most people will give you a break.2. Use creative visualization to release negative worriesLetting things go is easier said than done.One way to get good at it Scheduling time in your day formindfulness and reflection helps you become a person who lets things go easily, by allowing you to processideas and anxietiesin constructive ways.Creative visualization is an Oprah-endorsed termfor using your imagination to turn your most positive scenarios into reality. Set a goal, then create a mental prestige of exactly what your goal will look like.The womanwho literally wrote the book on creative visualization, Shakti Gawain, said that if we focuson this image when wererelaxed on a regular basis it will becomean integrated part of your life and more of a reality for you.Or, if you have a worry, picture puttin g it into a bubble and releasing the bubble to the sky. Sound corny? Sure. But try it and see if you dont feel a little lighter afterwards.For us worrywarts, focusing on that mental image can mean creating a reality where were no longer worried, and a bit more free to think of other things.3. Do something elseSometimes, its whenyou try to stop thinking about something that it becomes harder than ever to forget it the old dont think of the pink elephant problem.The solution get your hands and mind occupied with something else, preferably something that requires focus and absorption. Switching tasks can help you stop wallowing and feeling sorry for yourself. Talk with your friends, go out for drinks and do whatever thing forces you to engage with the world around you, instead of your own self-flagellating thoughts.For me, its usually exercise. I dont enjoy yogabut I find the sweaty intentof holding a Warrior III Poseforces me to stay present in the moment. Other people find that a lon g walk, an intense run or even showering helps clear their minds.And if nothing else, know that other people are just as awkward and anxiousas you are, and that we are all on this embarrassing journey called life together.