I used to really struggle with overthinking. I would agonize over every little decision, play out every possible scenario in my head, and just worry myself sick.
One day, I was feeling particularly anxious and stuck in my head about an upcoming work presentation. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop imagining all the ways I could mess it up and make a fool of myself.
It was exhausting! Until
One weekend
I was at my grandma’s house and noticed a little plaque on her wall with a quote that caught my eye.
It said:
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
Corrie Ten Boom
Reading that quote was like a lightbulb going off for me!
I realized all my constant worrying wasn’t actually preparing me for the future – it was just draining me and stealing my joy in the present moment. I took a photo of the plaque so I’d remember that quote.
Whenever I’d start overthinking after that, I’d pull up that photo and read the quote again to recenter myself. Finding that inspirational saying on my grandma’s wall was a real turning point.
I started writing down other motivational quotes I came across that could help pull me out of my anxious thought spirals. They really helped me reframe my mindset and gain more balance.
Now I keep a running list of my favorites as daily encouragement! Here I want to share them with you.
30 Inspirational Quotes For Overthinkers
- “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha
- “Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought.” – Marcus Aurelius
- “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
- “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles Swindoll
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
- “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley
- “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “We must let go of the life we have planned so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
- “Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence.” – Dalai Lama
- “Freedom lies in being bold.” – Robert Frost
- “Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too.” – Arthur Miller
- “Embrace the uncertainty, creative is magical.” – Tony Robbins
- “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence, one can build a better world.” – Dalai Lama
- “You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.” – Michelle Obama
- “Every next level of your life will demand a different you.” – Anonymous
- “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.” – Kurt Vonnegut
- “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison
- “Your limitation—it’s only your imagination.” – Anonymous
- “The quieter you can become, the more you’re able to hear.” – Ram Dass
- “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
- “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus
- “Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.” – Unknown
- “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
- “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” – Karl Barth
- “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
- “Letting go helps us to live in a more peaceful state of mind.” – Dalai Lama
- “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
- “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra
- “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” – John Lennon
Read more Inspirational for Kids: 50+ Inspirational Wish and Quotes Message for Kids
20 Quotes for Overthinking Relationship
- Worrying about the future will not prevent the pain it may hold, it will only poison the joy you could be sharing now.
- Anxiety about what’s to come cannot strengthen the bonds between you, it only erodes the affection you have today.
- Fretting does not fortify love against trials ahead, it only diminishes the delight within reach at present.
- Apprehension about tomorrow cannot protect your partnership, it can only damage the intimacy you could be nurturing today.
- A worry-filled mind magnifies flaws and shrinks gratitude – it cannot perceive all the ways love touches your relationship in this moment.
- Fretting about the future steals energy from acts of service and kindness that could light your lover’s eyes with joy right now.
- Anxiety whispers of impending disasters, blinding you to your partner’s small gestures that speak volumes if you have ears to hear them.
- Worrying is wasted time; better to use those hours expressing appreciation and affection, strengthening bonds for today’s journey together.
- Let tomorrow come as it will; no amount of care or dread can alter its course. But caring thoughts and words embraced fully in the present can change everything.
- Anxiety keeps you on edge, bracing for impact, unable to recognize the many blessings peppered throughout your days together.
- Your relationship can weather future storms if rooted in appreciation for today’s shelter against the elements life brings.
- Fretting builds walls between partners; presence dissolves barriers with openness to each moment’s possibilities.
- Worrying focuses on lacks and voids; gratitude perceives the subtle weavings of commitment holding you close through ups and downs.
- Anxiety says danger lurks ahead; faith sees trials as opportunities to renew understanding and deepen care.
- Fretting seeks to control the uncontrollable; better to savor what is good right here and now.
- Worrying whispers of impending betrayal and abandonment; trust hears instead the notes of fidelity in your lover’s voice.
- Anxiety only corrodes the foundation of belonging you share; loving presence fortifies it to weather storms.
- Fretting rehearses tragedy, blind to the quiet humor and comfort found in each other’s company.
- Worrying cannot protect against sorrow, it only hampers your ability to be fully present for joy.
- Anxiety projects you out of now, the only time you have together. Come back, there is shelter here.
20 Simple Quotes About Not Overthinking Work and Career
- Worrying won’t get the job done faster. Just focus and do your best.
- Don’t waste today being anxious about tomorrow at work. Make the most of now.
- Worried thoughts won’t make you get promoted. Hard work and learning might.
- Don’t let future concerns stop you from enjoying doing good work today.
- Being anxious won’t help you know what to do next. Talking to mentors might help more.
- Stay calm. Being worried just makes work harder.
- Nervous thoughts won’t make success happen. Taking action might.
- Don’t spend time imagining bad things at work. Look for solutions instead.
- Worried feelings won’t change the future. Focus on doing your job well now.
- Being anxious less helps you work better. Breathe and stay focused.
- Getting stressed won’t solve problems. Thinking clearly and asking for help might.
- Don’t worry about what you can’t control. Focus on doing your best with what you can.
- Being anxious about the future won’t make things better. Making a plan might help more.
- Stay positive. Being worried just makes your workday worse.
- Don’t imagine you’ll mess up. Picture success instead.
- Nervous thinking won’t change anything. Making smart choices might.
- Worrying is wasted time and energy. Spend it taking helpful action.
- Don’t stress. Relaxing helps you solve problems better.
- Anxious feelings won’t fix anything. Making a step-by-step plan can.
- Focus on today. Imagining a scary future just steals joy from your work.
In the end, overthinking about future can change nothing. It will only make you blind to the present wonderful moments and ruin your connections in daily life. if you can notice your mind spiraling again with those anxious but useless thoughts, come back, read these inspirational quotes, remind yourself to stay grounded. Take things one day at a time, focus on what you can control, and enjoy it.