“Get out of your head!” You know those moments when your mind is stirring with all sorts of thoughts and anxiety starts to creep in – or fear, or anger, or doubt. It all starts to rumble up like an incoming storm. You can see it coming, but you don’t know what to do with it!? The perfect time to say to yourself “get out of your head!” Say it with passion and conviction. 

One of my triggers to say this is when self-doubt creeps in. As much as I am an “outward” spaz…I am actually not the uber-extrovert people tend to think I am. In fact, on every single personality test I’ve taken, I have fallen smack dab in the middle of introvert and extrovert. And, I can honestly say, that’s where I feel I fit best – perhaps an extroverted introvert!? In my traditional work setting, I tend to be more bold and feisty, cheery and confident.  In more personal business decisions, especially when it comes to taking risks, I often get in my head. I wonder “If I did it, could I do it well?” With doubt, I tend to opt out. 

I am competitive. I like to do things “right” – a bit of a “perfectionist.” If I don’t think I can do something “just right,” I often talk myself out of doing it all together. Now, once I set my mind to something, I am ALL IN!! But I tend to pick and choose those things … OR … I have to repeat to myself “get out of my head” to make them happen at all. 

And then there are my people – many of them tend to get in their heads too. Which makes me wonder, do most people? And are some just better than others about letting it lead them, rather than stop (or hinder) them? When it comes to my people and I can see the storm starting to come in, I remind them “get out of your head.” Sport participation, health concerns, anxiety moments, fear factors (the list could go on and on) – in both light-hearted moments and in the midst of deepest emotions, I just look them in the eye and say (sometimes in a whisper, sometimes boldly) “get out of your head” you’ve got this. Or “get out of your head” and take a deep breath. Or “get out of your head” and just go do what God gave you the ability to do. It takes deep breaths, it takes being mindful of my intentions and the other’s emotions, it takes unconditional love. And I encourage you to give it a try….when it comes to battling “the storms” of our minds, give a graceful “get out of your head,” to yourself or someone you love.   

Sometimes hearing the one-liner is just what is needed, sometimes it takes a bit more – more questions about why the storm was even starting at all; more faith in God; more time to reflect or additional self-talk. Either way, it’s healthy to offer it (to yourself or a loved one) with an open heart and mind, with compassion and grace.

It’s mind over matter. It’s a simple one-liner that helps take away not so simple issues. Our outcomes are often, not always but often, what our heads determine them to be. We can talk ourselves into and out of so many emotions. We tell ourselves we can’t and we won’t. We tell ourselves to be scared and we will be. We tell ourselves we will fail and we most likely will. On the flip-side, we tell ourselves we can and we will. We tell ourselves to fear not and we won’t. We tell ourselves to go for it and we do. Sometimes it’s a matter of what we allow into our own minds. And sometimes it’s a matter of just DOING and “getting out of our heads!”