Break Free from Overthinking with Natural Movement

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”
— John Milton

The Breakdown

There’s nothing quite like the endless spin cycle of your mind.
You think. Then rethink. Then overthink.
You replay old conversations.
You second-guess decisions you already made.
You imagine a hundred worst-case scenarios.
And somehow, at the end of it all, you’re even more stuck than when you started.
I get it, because I live there too.

Overthinking isn’t a character flaw.
It’s what happens when your brain tries to protect you but ends up trapping you instead.
The good news?
There’s a way off the hamster wheel.
And sometimes, it starts by lacing up your boots and heading for the trail.

Why We Overthink (The Gentle Truth)

• Overthinking is a survival instinct.
  It’s wired into the oldest parts of our brain. The parts that once had to scan for predators, dangers, or mistakes to survive.
• But too much thinking backfires.
  Instead of protecting us, it paralyzes us.
  When our prefrontal cortex (the decision-making part of the brain) gets overwhelmed with too many options or fears, it basically freezes. Analysis paralysis is a real thing.
• We lose the moment we’re living.
  Because while we’re tangled up in “what ifs,” life is quietly happening without us.

How Nature Can Break the Cycle (And Why It Works)

Every time I hit a trail, I’m reminded:
The forest doesn’t overthink how it grows.
The river doesn’t second-guess its path.
It just moves, step by step, and breath by breath.

• Movement disrupts mental loops.
  When you physically move your body, you engage your motor cortex, which competes for resources in the brain, meaning there’s literally less brain power available to stay stuck in overthinking.
• Nature calms the nervous system.
  Studies show that spending 20 minutes outside can lower cortisol (the stress hormone), reduce heart rate, and reset brain chemistry toward calm and focus.
• Walking restores mental clarity.
  Research from Stanford found that walking boosts creative thinking by up to 60%.
  When your body moves, your mind moves too.

In short:
Hiking isn’t just a hobby. It’s a reset button.

Simple Practices to Stop Overthinking

1. Move Your Body Before You “Solve” Anything
Before trying to think your way out of a problem, move.
Go for a short hike.
Take a five-minute walk around the block.
Movement first. Answers later.

Science Check:
Movement activates your brain’s default mode network, which helps with problem-solving and decision-making, without forcing it.

2. Ask Better Questions
Instead of spiraling with “What if this goes wrong?” try:

• “What if this goes right?”
• “What would the simplest next step be?”
• “Will this matter five years from now?”

Science Check:
The questions you ask yourself guide what your brain searches for.
When you ask fear-based questions, your brain finds fears.
When you ask empowering questions, your brain finds opportunities.

3. Get Outside Daily (Even Briefly)
You don’t need a big trip. Even standing under an open sky for a few minutes helps. (I do this regularly throughout the day)
Nature reminds you how to be instead of how to overthink being.

A Note If It Feels Strange At First

If you’re used to living in your head, these practices will feel strange and may even feel uncomfortable.
That’s normal.
You’re gently undoing years (maybe decades) of mental habits.
Be patient with yourself.
New trails take time to feel familiar.
But each step you take toward living, instead of looping, is a step toward freedom.

You’re invited

You deserve more than a life stuck in your head.
You deserve a life that’s felt, lived, and experienced.
You’re not alone. I’m on this trail too.
Let’s keep growing—one step at a time.
Let’s hike. Let’s heal.