Mindfulness + CBT: Stop Overthinking & Decide Faster
Do you ever feel like your brain just won’t shut the fuck up?
You’re not alone — most of us have been stuck in the loop of overthinking and second-guessing ourselves so many times it feels exhausting.
In this post, you’ll learn practical mindfulness and CBT strategies to quiet the noise, get out of your own head, and finally make decisions without spiraling.
Why Overthinking Happens
Our Brains Are Busy as Shit
Did you know the average person has around 60,000 thoughts a day? Yeah… 60,000 (Klinger, 1990). And research shows a huge chunk of those—maybe 80%—are repetitive, and many lean negative (Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010). That’s a ton of mental chatter for your poor brain to handle.
Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)
Here’s the thing: I like to call the thoughts in my head my Brain Voice. Most of the time, my Brain Voice is an asshole, throwing ANTs at me and twisting everything out of proportion. Those little voices pop up uninvited and can make even tiny decisions feel like you’re defusing a bomb.
Cognitive Distortions
My Brain Voice also loves to just make shit up. Stuff like all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, or “should” statements that keep me spinning in circles. Recognizing these thought traps is the first step in breaking free from the overthinking shitshow.
How Mindfulness Addresses Overthinking
Present-Moment Awareness (This is the secret sauce)
Mindfulness is basically training your brain to focus on what’s happening right now instead of running a million “what if” scenarios. Even just a few minutes of paying attention to your breath or noticing the feel of your feet on the floor can interrupt your overthinking spiral.
Non-Judgmental Observation
A huge misconception about mindfulness is that you have to stop thinking altogether. That misconception kept me from practicing mindfulness for quite some time. Eventually, I realized that stopping your thoughts completely is impossible and unnecessary.
It’s more about noticing your thoughts without beating yourself up. You’re observing your Brain Voice like, “Oh hey, there’s that asshole again,” instead of letting it control you. Separating yourself from your thoughts is a big leap in the right direction. It’s not easy, but consistent practice can be life-changing.
HINT: Giving the thought machine the name of Brain Voice was really helpful in realizing those thoughts are not me and don’t control or define me.
Practical CBT Tools to Solve Overthinking
Thought Awareness
Write down the stressful thoughts that your Brain Voice is hurling at you, challenge them, and reframe them. Ask yourself: “Is this actually true? Am I sure?” Most of the time, the thoughts that asshole Brain Voice is providing aren’t even true. He’s just hanging out making up all sorts of shit and watching the spiral show.
Cognitive Reframing
Once you spot those distorted thoughts, consciously replace them with something more balanced. Your goal: stop letting your brain run the same negative scripts over and over. Give your Brain Voice a reality check before he ruins your day.
Combining Mindfulness + CBT for Best Results
Mindful Thought Observation
Notice when your brain is spiraling, take a breath, and then apply a CBT reframing. The breath is the key here — it creates a pause, a gap between the thought and your reaction. That small pause can be the difference between a pretty good day and a day full of meltdowns. Use the breath to ask yourself: “Is this true? Am I sure?”
Daily Reflection Practice
End the day with 5 minutes of mindfulness, then jot down a quick reflection: “What thoughts did I challenge today? Where did I get stuck?” Doing this consistently builds clarity and confidence over time.
Final Takeaway:
You Can Calm Your Mind and Make Decisions Without Losing Your Shit
Download my free Mindset Shift Mini Guide to start taming your overthinking brain today.
References:Klinger, E. (1990). Daydreaming and Fantasizing: Thought Flow and Motivation. Springer.Killingsworth, M.A., & Gilbert, D.T. (2010). A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind. Science, 330(6006), 932.
