Dear Reader,
Overthinking. We are all guilty of it. Coming to us in situations of grief, panic, worry, and so many others, sometimes we just cannot help it. The thoughts of every possible worst scenario racing through your mind can ruin the mood, and almost kill the joy you had left of the moment. There we lie senseless, trapped in our minds with the overbearing weight of never being able to escape. Guilty of this myself, I know what it is like to experience this, almost all too well.
“Was it something I said, or something I did?”
“Why are they acting like that?”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
These are the three ever-so-lovely examples that I struggle with the most, and many others do. The pure exhaustion that comes with those thoughts is unbearable. Alas, although they provide a weight on us all, I want to remind you that they will not last forever, and it will be okay. It will never be enough to overshadow your life experience and journey, and it too shall pass.
I first want to say that you are incredibly capable and strong. It is normal to have moments of self-doubt in scenarios you find yourself caught in, struggling to figure out what to do next. It is crucial to not let these moments define you. With experiences like this we can learn and grow, allowing us to move through these thoughts, ultimately becoming stronger afterward.
Secondly, I want you to embrace this imperfection. Our minds can be chaotic, but at the same time, it is almost poetic in the way you and I care so greatly about the littlest things. Amid it all, we have deep, insightful reflections of everything going on around us. Moments of introspection and contemplation all come together to create a storm which you are capable of surviving.
Although I do want you to acknowledge the overthinking tendencies, I also want you to recognize when they become too much, and to calm them down when needed. Sometimes, these whirlwind thoughts can almost morph into the biggest storm of them all, becoming destructive, and diminishing any calm left in your life at that very moment.
I know it can be difficult to navigate, but you need to think:
Will this serve me and my mental health in any positive way?
Am I actively prioritizing my own peace?
What is the true root of the problematic thought(s) I am having?
So, next time you find yourself overthinking, I want you to stop and think about where you are at that moment. Take a second to look around, recognize what you can do, and have a few deep breaths. Let everything happen and fall into the place it was meant to be.
Everything will happen in its own time.
So, to my fellow overthinkers, my final message to you is to know that everything will be okay, no matter the situation. Our minds are beautiful, be kind to them, and allow them to rest.
With love,
MK