Life gets pretty confusing at times whether it is a small task that you can’t focus on or big life goals that just look impossible. Even after spending hours contemplating the ups and downs, the highs and lows, it still doesn’t make sense. You get caught up in a vicious cycle of energy-draining emotions which seems never-ending at times.
You end up feeling frustrated, anxious, stressed, and above all powerless, which gets too much to handle all alone. Everything seems out of control and nothing makes sense AT ALL! So, if you feel trapped in a cloud of confusion and you want to get some clarity of thoughts stick with us to know how to deal with confusion.
But, first, let me explain what confusion really is.
What is confusion?
The inability to think clearly is called confusion. It is also referred to as disorientation or uncertainty. It tends to slow down your decision-making ability making the situation feel a lot worse than it actually is. According to the American Psychological Association, Confusion comes naturally with any effortful situation. It can be any complicated learning activity while analyzing difficult information or solving complex problems.
While it’s normal to be confused when faced with a strenuous situation, it basically describes the conduct of the person involved in it. As Paul Drew, Professor of language linguistic science says in his book Conversation and Cognition that confusion is an attributive term. It is frequently used by people when their own or the other person’s behavior becomes odd or problematic. Also, it is a state of mind that translates into your words and actions somehow.
Although encountering confusing thoughts is a part of our day-to-day life and you might shrug it off your shoulder as something meaningless. However, it can be a sign of serious mental illness when faced by older adults like Alzheimer’s which might severe up to cause Dementia. So, if you feel confused most of the time or are dealing with someone facing this problem you should take it seriously instead of labeling it as unimportant. It’s better to seek medical advice when the first signs show up.
Apart from that, if the confusion seems to come and go in spasms and doesn’t hamper your mental capabilities seriously, our few quick tips will certainly do the trick.
6 Incredible ways to deal with confusion
Here’s what you need to do when you are confused and directionless about anything in life.
1- Accept your situation
Has running away from a problem ever solved that? No, right! This is exactly my point. Accept the situation, accept the complexity of the problem, and accept the confusion. Accepting that your life is going through a rough patch will make the situation bearable.
While running away from the problem will only worsen it and make you more anxious. Because as you know life has its fair share of highs and lows which cannot be skipped no matter how hard you try. And while you are stuck in the monotonous rut of day and night, life has its way of pulling you back to give you some reality checks.
So, what to do when confused about a decision? Why should I get admission to this college or that? Should I choose this degree or that? Or some major life decisions like should I marry this girl whom I just met 6 months ago and barely know about? Firstly accept the problem.
Acknowledge the situation with an open mind. Weigh the pros and cons of every decision. If possible write it down on a piece of paper to get a better understanding of the situation. Accepting the confusion will not only make it easier to address it but will also give you clarity of thoughts. And this is exactly what you need to do to deal with confusion.
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2- Analyze your thoughts to deal with confusion
The next most important step to deal with confusion is to analyze your thoughts. Think about your thoughts objectively. Realize that your thoughts are your opinions, not facts. Do not think in black and white terms like if I don’t do this I will ruin my life. Your thoughts are your perspective of what’s going on in your life. It is only one side of the story and that too made up in your mind if you overthink a lot.
Also, focus on where your opinions are coming from. Are they your own thoughts or based on someone else’s opinions? Disregard them as soon as you realize it is not how you think but are based on how someone else thinks. Be unbiased while making a decision and think in isolation. This way you’ll better be able to make a decision that is close to your heart instead of going for something that you might regret later.
All in all, it is important to analyze your subconscious mind before jumping to a conclusion. Examine your thought process. If possible write them down or discuss them with a person you trust. Talking to another person clears your mind and gives you a fresh perspective too.
3- Focus on your inner voice
Sometimes it is thinking about the future or the past continuously that never lets us concentrate on the present moment. If you only focus on the present and think about how you feel about it, you would get a better understanding of your heart’s desire. When you don’t set your priorities straight you’ll easily be caught up in the web of confusion. For a moment keep aside all the secondary things. Forget all the ‘what ifs’ and just focus on your first instinct of the matter to deal with confusion promptly.
Somehow, the experiences of the past leave a strong imprint on your mind that haunt you for the rest of your life. But, just because an unfortunate incident happened in the past due to a single bad decision does not mean that it will happen again. Often times your gut feeling is the first indicator of whether you should go for something or not. But, getting influenced by someone else’s opinions shifts the focus from your intuition to something you wouldn’t think about otherwise.
Usually when I think about why my mind is so confused? It is because I am not focusing on what I know and what I really want. My confusion is just based on something I experienced or heard. It is not truly me, which of course puts me in a confusing situation. Because on one hand is my intuition and on the other is the baggage of past experiences or opinions of someone else. So, focusing on your gut feeling is the key to dealing with confusion.
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4- How to deal with confusion- Get a fresh perspective
Oftentimes due to the constant shuffling between the what if your mind moves around in circles. It severely hampers your ability to think outside the box. The vicious cycle of seemingly never-ending thoughts traps you in their web, which frustrates you often. To deal with confusion it is necessary to talk to a person you trust to get a fresh perspective.
Talking to someone not only opens new doors of ideas but also clears the mind of the unnecessary fog of confusion. It shows you a different aspect of the situation which you never thought about. Sharing your experiences with other people is also beneficial if you have never been through them before. You get to know how someone else acted in the same situation and thus, gain more insight into it.
Also, you would want to indulge yourself in a relaxing or creative activity, just to ease the burden off your mind a bit. When you take a break your mind unconsciously works on the solution to the problems and brings up new ideas. You may also consider going out and spending some time in nature.
Leaving all the gadgets and getting fresh air restores the energy of your brain. So, if you want to deal with confusion you might want to try this tip and relax your mind of all the work stress that accumulated over time.
5- Be patient
Confusion is a sign that your mind needs more information to function properly and make conscious decisions. It is a sign that your mind is expanding and transforming.
Confusion indicates that you are changing. Your life is changing. It is unfolding its secrets and blessings upon you. Although you might want to know beforehand about the chapter of life that you are entering into, it is better to let things unroll on their own.
This is where patience comes in. Trust me on this, it is a lot easier to say than do. Patience is the virtue that most of us lack. However, it is a blessing in disguise though hard to practice. Make peace with the fact that you cannot have all the answers to the problem.
You are only a human whose mental capabilities are limited and that too at the mercy of God. Just accept the fact that your abilities are not versatile enough to understand the glories of God. Go with the flow and trust that the best has yet to come.
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6- Think positively to deal with confusion
Although confusion might bring in overthinking and negativity, it should not take control of you totally. Confusion almost always makes you assume worst-case scenarios and the worst possible outcomes. You tend to think in black and white terms like If I don’t do this I would be a loser throughout my life.
But, that is not how you should train your mind to think. Because if you tend to think this way you will always be occupied by your self-made assumptions. And these won’t let you live freely.
You should however think positively. Look at the brighter side of life. One wrong turn does not mean that you are not worthy of happiness. It in fact speaks of your endearing nature that you should be proud of. Not everyone has the strength to take risks and go through challenges.
But, you are the one. So what if something went wrong? What if the outcome didn’t turn out as you expected it to? What if you failed once or twice or even thrice? That isn’t something to be ashamed of. Look into the stories of all the inspirational people that came and made a mark on this world. Their journey wasn’t easy either.
So, be positive about the journey, and don’t ever let negativity take control of you.
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Conclusion;
Confusion is something we all go through every once in a while. Although it tends to fog your brain and hampers your ability to think clearly, it is not that awful. It is a sign of transformation and change.
Every time your life goes through a shift it would be chaotic and nothing would make sense either. However, with our incredible tips & tricks, your life won’t seem so out of control.
Hopefully, you won’t have to think about how to deal with confusion after trying these tips. Let us know how it helped you in the comments down below.
