The brain is a powerful thing. Among countless vital functions, the brain controls speech, memory, and rational thought. That’s why we rely on it to help us make important decisions. However, according to a University of Michigan study, as many as 73% of adults consider themselves to be overthinkers; meaning they obsess about their thoughts. Most overthinkers do so in an effort to regain control or find solutions to hypothetical problems. But more often than not, overthinkers form their habits out of a place of fear. 

Whether it be a fear of failure, scarcity, or pain, living your life stuck in your head space (where you worry) can be confining. But there’s hope in the heart space (where you feel). If you want to embrace mental freedom and get outside of your head, check out these three reasons you should move from a head space to a heart space. 

1. The Heart Inspires Selflessness

Some people unintentionally resort to selfish behaviors because of a scarcity mindset. Here are a few real-world examples:

• “I shouldn’t tell my friend about my department’s job opening because they may excel and become competition.”
• “I haven’t considered donating to that charity because I want to save as much as possible for my vacation fund.”
• “Although we’re facing a pandemic, I’m going to buy more supplies than I need in case the store runs out in the future.”

All of these decisions illustrate a fixation on a sense of lack. But where the head space prioritizes your personal needs, the heart space fails to worry about “going without.” The heart is empathetic and full of compassion. And when everyone is working from a heart space, you create a community of givers who put self aside in order to serve the greater good. 

2. The Heart Minimizes Fear

Your brain is trained to protect you from any and all danger. Consequently, it encourages us to act slowly, consider all possibilities, and generate an endless list of “what ifs.” While it’s true that such precautions can be extremely helpful, we must be sure that this first critical step of decision making isn’t allowed to be the last. It’s okay to give your head space permission to run through its preliminary checklist in an effort to keep you safe. However, moving to the heart space is the most important next step. While your brain’s only concern is safety, the heart allows you to consider so much more. 

3. The Heart Embraces Emotion

The brain analyzes relentlessly. The heart simply feels. Despite your best efforts, one function usually overrides the other because these two actions struggle to coexist. That’s human nature. Accepting this as a fact forces you to decide between the two. You can choose to live in your head, where logic supersedes or you can choose to move to heart, where love and emotion conquers all. 

For many of us, moving from our head space to our heart space doesn’t come naturally. We must make a conscious decision to resist harmful overthinking and instead, embrace the present and all of the emotions that come with it. Let these three reasons to move from a head space to a heart space encourage you to make a positive change toward your goal of mental freedom.