Women Who Think Too Much

A couple of weeks ago, I checked a stack of interesting looking books out of the library.  I have a thing with library books...and usually end up with the big stack of books (all nonfiction) every time I go there.  Like mother, like daughters.   Unfortunately, they also share the predisposition to rack up huge library fines because of over due (and occasionally lost) books. We're working on that.  I rarely read any of the books all the way through.  I usually just leaf through them.  But I find all kinds of tidbits and food for thought. 

One of the books I checked out on this last trip was a book called Women Who Think Too Much by By Susan Nolen-Hoeksema. 

Eckhart says, "the compulsion to think is just a deep seated habit." And if it is indeed a habit, it is a deeply engrained one. 

The book describes some of the angst caused by overthinking:

…..when there is any pause in our daily activities, many of us are flooded with worries, thoughts, and emotions that swirl out of control, sucking our emotions and energy down, down, down. We are suffering from an epidemic of overthinking—getting caught in torrents of negative thoughts and emotions that overwhelm us and interfere with our functioning and well being. Our concerns are about fundamental issues: Who am I? What am I doing with my life? What do others think of me? Why am I not happy and content?

The author goes on to list other compulsive thoughts that we are afflicted with…kids on drugs, fights with our mother, disinterested spouse, dead end jobs.

These thoughts ebb and flow with our rapidly shifting moods, but we seldom reach any conclusions.

Eckhart gives an interesting description of the egoic mind when he says:

If you observe your own mind, you will see that thinking very rarely ceases. It is as if some demon built a radio into everyone's head and removed the "off" switch. Most of our thinking is like those radio stations where there is constant chatter.

A correct answer to our question “who am I” might provide some relief…since it would identify who we are not. We are not our egoic minds…but that’s who we think we are and soon our whole sense of identity comes from the constant chatter in our heads.

This book looks at all aspects of "over thinking"...but not in a spiritual way. It seems to give concrete, "from real life" examples of overthinking...and the problems it causes in our jobs, our relationships...in our lives. 

Some of the chapters in the book include:

• An Epidemic of Overthinking
• Strategies for Overcoming Overthinking
• Triggers for Overthinking
• Overthinking Work and Careers
• Overthinking Health Problems
• Overthinking Loss and Trauma
• Moving Our Society to Higher Ground

A preview is available on google books....