Anxiety, Overthinking, and Overwhelm: Buddhist Hacks For Changing Your Mind | Joseph Goldstein

1. Observe Thoughts as Suggestions

Recognize that thoughts, though seemingly powerful, are essentially empty and are merely suggestions, not commands. This creates space for wise discernment before acting on them.

2. Counter Self-Judgment with Counting

When caught in a loop of self-judgment, try counting each judgment as it arises. This makes the pattern obvious and often leads to a smile, which disarms the judgment’s power by breaking identification and aversion.

3. Practice Mindful Seeing

To reduce automatic judgments and reactions to what you see, consciously note “seeing, seeing” as you observe your environment. This practice helps to be mindful at the sense door of vision, where much reactivity originates.

4. Reflect on Ethical Behavior (Sila)

When feeling discouraged or in a “doldrums” state, reflect on your past wholesome and skillful actions. This practice uplifts the mind, reinforces faith, and fosters appreciation for your path and good qualities.

5. Gain Perspective on Suffering

For mundane struggles, use phrases like “it’s not [major world crisis]” to gain perspective and realize the magnitude of your suffering is often much smaller than perceived. This helps avoid getting overly entangled in minor issues.

6. Appreciate the “Non-Toothache”

Actively practice mindfulness when things are going well, when hindrances like desire or aversion are absent. Acknowledging these peaceful moments helps balance awareness, as they are often overlooked.

7. Accept Inevitability of Unwanted Experiences

Understand that unwanted experiences are an inevitable part of life (“if it’s not one thing, it’s another”). This perspective normalizes suffering, reduces the “why me?” reaction, and allows for a more sane and patient response.

8. Contemplate Mortality for Perspective

Regularly reflect on the universal truths of aging, illness, and death (“I am not exempt”). This contemplation provides a powerful “bolus of perspective” that can jar you out of overthinking and petty concerns.

9. Embrace “Anything Can Happen Anytime”

Acknowledge that life is unpredictable and “anything can happen anytime.” This truth, when genuinely accepted, leads to a quality of acceptance and equipoise, allowing for a more peaceful and effective response to unexpected events.

10. Recognize “Becoming Otherwise”

Use the phrase “becoming otherwise” to acknowledge the constant flux and impermanence of all things, including physical sensations, relationships, and life circumstances. This reduces reactivity to change and fosters acceptance.

11. Cultivate Acceptance for Emotions

When strong or unpleasant emotions arise, genuinely accept them by telling yourself, “it’s okay.” This shifts from mere recognition to true mindfulness, breaking aversion and allowing for a more workable and skillful response without emotional flatness.

12. Navigate Challenges “Through” Mindfulness

When facing difficulties, understand that “the only way out is through” mindful acceptance. This means staying with the experience in a balanced, aware, and equanimous way, rather than bulldozing or contracting in resistance.

13. Reframe Emotions as “Just a Mind State”

When caught in an emotional struggle, remind yourself, “it’s just a mind state.” This helps to dismantle the “superstructure of self” built around the emotion and provides relief, knowing that like all mind states, it will pass.

14. Align Actions with “What Matters Most”

Before making decisions or speaking, pause and intuitively ask “what matters most?” This helps align your actions with your core values, preventing you from being swayed by superficial attractions and leading to wiser choices.