A Day In The Life Of An Overthinker

A Day in The Life of An Overthinker

Welcome to the mental marathon that starts the moment we open our eyes. Spoiler alert: our brain never got the memo about “rest days.”

6:00 AM – The Awakening

Alarm goes off. But wait – did I set it for AM or PM?  Better check. Checks phone. It’s definitely AM. But what if the phone is wrong? Checks 3 more times. Okay, we’re good.

Actually, am I even awake? This could be a dream. Pinches self. Okay, definitely awake. But what if—

No. We’re stopping this right now. It’s too early.

7:15 AM – The Shower Debate

Should I shower now or tonight? If I shower now, I’ll have to shower again after the gym. But what if I don’t go to the gym? Then I waster a shower. But if I don’t shower now and I DO go to the gym, I’ll be gross all day.

Stands in bathroom for 4 minutes analyzing shower logistics.

Showers. Immediately regrets it because now the whole day’s schedule is thrown off by 8 minutes.

8:03 AM – The Text Message Incident

Sends: “Sounds good!” to a friend.

Wait. Does “Sounds good!” sound passive-aggressive? Should I have added an exclamation point? I did add an exclamation point. But is ONE exclamation point enough? Is it too much? Should I have added an emoji?

Stares at message for 2 minutes.

Considers sending a follow-up: “I mean that genuinely btw!”

Doesn’t send it. That would make it worse.

Spends the next 20 minutes wondering if the friendship is now ruined.

9:30 AM – The Email

Writes work email. Reads it 6 times. It’s fine. Clicks send.

WAIT. Did I spell their name right? Opens sent folder. Name is correct. But did I attach the attachment? Checks. Yes. But is it the RIGHT attachment? Opens attachment. It’s correct.

But what if they think the tone is weird? Reads email again in the sent folder.

“Hi Russ” – Too causal?

“I hope this email finds you well” – too formal?

“Per my last email” – definitely too passive-aggressive, but I didn’t say that, so we’re good.

Realizes I have now spent more time analyzing the email than writing it.

11:47 AM – The Lunch Decision

What do I want for lunch?

Actually, what do I want for lunch that won’t make me too tired? But also not too light that I am hungry again at 2 o’clock. But not too heavy because I will then feel gross. Should I meal prep? I should have meal prepped. Why didn’t I meal prep on Sunday?

Oh right, because I was overthinking WHAT to meal prep.

Orders the same thing I always order.

Immediately wonders if I should have tried something new.

2:20 PM – The Conversation replay

Remembers conversation from this morning. Did I laugh too loud at their joke? Did I not laugh enough? Wait, was it even a joke? What if it wasn’t a joke and I laughed? What if it WAS a joke and I didn’t laugh enough?

Mental replay #1: I definitely laughed weird.

Mental replay #2: Okay, maybe it was fine.

Mental replay #3: No, definitely weird.

Considers texting them: “Hey, great joke this morning!”

Realizes that would be insane.

Doesn’t text.

Still thinking about it at 4 PM.

5:32 PM – The Grocery Store

Needs milk. Goes to the store. Sees an acquaintance in aisle 3.

ABORT MISSION.

Hides in aisle 7 (cleaning supplies – don’t even need anything here) until coast is clear.

It’s not that I don’t like them. I just don’t have the mental energy to:

1.      Remember their name.

2.      Make small talk.

3.      Do the “Okay well, I should get going” dance.

4.      Execute a graceful exit.

5.      Replay the entire interaction for the next 3 hours.

Leaves store. Forgot the milk.

7:05 PM – The Social Media Spiral

Posts a photo. Immediately analyzes it.

Is it too much? Not enough? Will people think I am bragging? Will they think I am boring? Should I have a different caption? Is the caption trying too hard to be funny? Is it funny enough?

Checks likes every 4 minutes.

3 likes: Okay, decent.

5 likes: we’re doing better.

7 likes: Wait, who DIDN’T like it?

Realizes I’m now mentally cataloging who didn’t like my post.

Considers deleting. Doesn’t delete. Turns off phone.

Turns phone back on 2 minutes later to check.

10:30 PM – The Bedtime Routine

Time for bed. Brain: “Absolutely not. Now is when we think about EVERYTHING.”

-          That weird thing you said in school senior year

-          Whether you locked the front door (you did, but better check)

-          If you’re doing enough with your life

-          What people REALLY meant when they said that thing

-          Your entire life trajectory

-          Whether you turned off the stove (you didn’t use the stove today, but WHAT IF)

-          Gets up. Checks door. Checks stove. Checks door again.

-          Back to bed.

-          Brain: Remember that time in elementary school when….“

-          ME: “We are not doing this.”

-          Brain: “But what if….“

-          Me: “NO”

-          Brain: “Okay but seriously, did you ever respond to that email from….”

Grabs phone to check the email at 11:03 PM

12:07 PM – The Final Thought

Tomorrow I’m going to overthink less. Wait. Am I overthinking my overthinking?

Is that even possible?

Falls asleep planning how to stop overthinking

The Truth About Overthinking

Hers’s the thing: if you recognized yourself in any (or all) of these moments, you’re not alone. Overthinking isn’t a personality flaw – it’s your brain trying to protect you by analyzing every possible outcome. The problem? It doesn’t have an off switch.

But Here’s what helps.

-          Naming It: “Oh, there’s my overthinking brain again”

-          Laughing at it: Sometimes our thoughts are genuinely ridiculous

-          Connection with others: Knowing we’re not the only one’s stuck in these loops

-          Wearing reminders: That you’re not alone, that it’s okay, that you’re doing your best

Because every storm has a story – even the one’s happening entirely in our heads at 2 AM about a text message from 6 hours ago.

You’re not broken. You’re not too much. You’re just thinking… a lot. And that’s okay

Want to wear a reminder that you’re not alone in the overthinking struggle? Check out our Not Unmotivated, Just Overwhelmed collection – because sometimes we all need a little validation that our brains are just doing their (overactive) best.