I Thought About This Too Much

If overthinking burned calories, I’d be unstoppable.

Aside from journaling or working out, I’d say overthinking would be in my top 5 consistent hobbies. Well used to be. I’m getting better — promise. But this has been something I’ve struggled with over the years, so let me talk about it for a few paragraphs.

I didn’t just think about things — I revisited them. Conversations stayed with me long after they ended. I replayed words, pauses and expressions. I tried to understand what was meant, what wasn’t said, and what I should have noticed sooner, even decisions I had already made were rarely finished in my mind.

I would spend time preparing emotionally for situations just in case they happened, or I would do it for situations that never happened. How weird is that?

Over time, I realised how exhausting that was. Not just mentally, but emotionally. I was spending so much time living in hypothetical moments that I barely noticed the one I was actually in. I think overthinking can sometimes been seen as productive, because in a way you’re being self aware and responsible or so it seems. But, most of the time, it’s just fear wearing a smarter outfit.

What I’ve learned, stubbornly is that not everything deserves my mental energy. Some things don’t need to be fixed, solved, or wrapped in a neat little conclusion. Some conversations are really just conversations. Some people mean exactly what they say, and some situations simply pass without needing to leave a lesson behind.

I want to be clear and honest. I still catch myself overthinking from time to time, but now I just go through the process of asking myself questions in a gentle way, like: Is this in my control? Will this matter in a week? Am I thinking, or am I worrying? That pause alone has saved me from unnecessary stress marathons.

And a lot of things don’t matter in the long run, so what’s the point of going over situations again and again when people move on and life continues? In the past, doing that only hurt me and put me in a negative headspace, and I got to the point where I decided that I didn’t want that. I trust myself that I’ll handle things when they happen.

Now, I’m trying to redirect my energy toward what’s real and present. The people who show up and the moments that don’t need overanalysing to be meaningful.

Overthinking might of previously been one of my hobbies, but it no longer runs the schedule. I’m learning to leave some worries unanswered and some situations exactly as they are.

Life’s too short. Focus on what’s real and what’s right in front of you. That right there is a reminder for myself, and now you too. You’re welcome.