When You No Longer Own Your Mind

I sometimes enter a mental (overthinking) space where I no longer own my mind. I feel a quick twitch of anxiety. Suddenly, I know I’m not in charge of my mind like I was before.

I hate not being in control. I quickly work to tell myself it’s all going to be ok - it’s a moment. A reaction to recent events. Ride it…you know how.

My thoughts spiral. My chest tightens. The stories start looping.

I’ve come to call it “stinkin’ thinkin’”—a term I first learned from the FlyLady. (If you know, you know.) I subscribed to her years ago when the part of me that loved order and checklists was looking for anything to keep up with the chaos of motherhood, work, and life.

She had systems for everything—how to have a clean and organized home while working and raising children at the same time. Everything was systematized and in a step-by-step order. I was instantly drawn to it. I like things spelled out clearly.

But I didn’t realize that one term she used would hit me so much harder today than it…