Finding Relief: Nature’s Observation Against Overthinking

Photograph by author

A person is composed of various aspects and perspectives. To contend with one’s own image, it’s essential to understand that perpetual overthinking is a beautiful hazard. On one hand, after the cycle of thoughts upon thoughts ends, a person learns to appreciate life and feel gratitude.

However, this is a hazard because perpetual overthinking is a vicious cycle that detaches a person from reality, pulling them deeper into their thoughts. Those thoughts become never-ending, causing immense pain and leading to loneliness, ultimately descending life into chaos.

Overthinking is a hypersensitivity to the urge to have thoughts. It’s like an addiction that envelops a person completely. Reality is concrete, while thoughts are abstract. Both require balance: we need thoughts to navigate life, but too many can leave us burning on our own fuel.

I experienced overthinking during my battle with clinical depression, and it made life hell. To break free from this haunting cycle, I dived into observing the outer world — a world that is concrete and tangible.

The idea was to connect my inner turmoil to the outside world. I sought to balance the abstract by taking in the concrete through my senses. I turned to nature and aimed to observe it intently, fixating my gaze upon it for hours. Initially, this was difficult; my mind wandered, and thoughts crept back in almost instantly.

To aid my focus, I began observing a rose petal while wearing headphones, with white noise playing and a Pomodoro timer set for 10 minutes. Believing I had hit rock bottom, I found that my pain through observation became a useful tool in eventually breaking free from the habit of overthinking.

Nature holds a power that I have read little about but witnessed and experienced in my own life. I encourage you to observe nature; it may offer the clarity and grounding you seek.