Why I Overthink alot? A Guide to cope with Overthinking
Ah, the mind of an overthinker. You’re like your computer brain is open to five browser tabs… and three of them freeze. We’re making mountains out of molehills, finding fault in everything: ordering coffee becomes a life-or-death decision. "Do I go with the usual? Oh, no, that’s boring. What if they look at me funny for always having the same thing? That’s probably why my relationships don’t work."
Cue spiral.
Overthinking is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube that changes colors each time you turn a side. But what do you do?
Guide to Cope with Overthinking
Well, here's my foolproof and tried-and-tested (by overthinkers like myself) guide to coping with overthinking:
1. Talk It Out (With Yourself)
You’re already having inner dialogues every day, so you might as well make it a session. "Okay, brain, what do you have to say for why the text was so long? Is it that the extra emoji made it stretch out a little too long? Was the tone too casual? Or maybe we could’ve just ended with a period in place of that explanation.".
2. Write It Down (And Then Lose The Notebook)
Sometimes overthinkers just need to get things off their mind. Writing is a great way to do that. Except, after you're done, you start worrying about whether somebody is going to find that notebook and read all of your ramblings. So naturally, just lose it somewhere nobody can find it. Maybe at the bottom of the laundry basket.
3. Do Something Else (Like Clean Your Whole House)
Distract yourself with an activity. Ever wonder why your kitchen is spotless even when your life feels messy? That's right. Cleaning is the ultimate escape for overthinkers. Why worry about sending an email when you can reorganize your entire pantry?
4. Give Yourself a Timer (Then Ignore It)
Try to make a timer for your overthinking. Take five minutes to think about the situation and then stop. Of course, by minute 6, you will most likely be thinking about how you didn’t stop at minute 5, but that is progress!
5. Laugh It Off
One thing overthinking is good for is comedy. And at the end of the day, nothing is as catastrophic as your brain makes it seem. Laugh at your absurdity. Do you remember when you spent an hour debating whether your coworker was "good morning" in a passive-aggressive way? Yeah. You did. And that's all right.
