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Overthinking is my superpower in disguise and it can be yours too
Yes, overthinking is exhausting. I’ve had moments of weakness too; almost yanked the hair out of my head. But as an adult, I learned to navigate my emotions differently and overthinking started to look more like a superpower. It can also be yours once you realize it can be used to your advantage.
Chronic overthinkers tend to overthink about overthinking too. Don’t judge us, we didn’t choose to be born this way. Overthinking isn’t a mental illness in itself, but it is associated with issues like anxiety, eating disorders, and more. But a little bit of self-reflection, and a lot of awareness, have helped me look at the positives of thinking way too much, which I would like to share with my fellow overthinkers.
Overthinking isn’t necessarily bad
I have always been an overthinker. Growing up, I believed something was genuinely wrong with me because I found myself brooding over things I couldn’t do much about, while it never bothered those around me.
Thanks to the advent of the Internet and a pool of resources on mental exercises, overthinking helped me achieve a lot of clarity which I otherwise lacked.
From my personal experience, investing a lot of thought in something has not only helped me be prepared for the most difficult of situations, but also made me stronger with an extra supplement of confidence.
When you’re prepared for the worst, the undesirable aspects of life can only hurt you so much. And anything less than what you expected is a relief.
While approaching powerful thoughts negatively can attract energies you don’t want to deal with, a little tweak in the process can bring you closer to your dreams – in other words, you’re unconsciously manifesting good things in life.
Are you aware of telekinesis? The supposed ability to influence physical things without the actual physical touch? Such is the power of thoughts. So think of the collective force of energies born out of overthinking and everything you can do when they are channeled in the right direction.
Even science highlights the positives
A paper in Trends in Cognitive Science links brooding with creativity. People who think excessively are believed to have scored high in the neurotic department. In layman’s terms, those with higher neuroticism have better problem-solving focus.
And guess what? We daydream a lot, which is described as “an important ingredient for creative thought,” by a psychology professor at Texas A&M University.
Creativity also occurs from the activities overthinkers usually take up to not be consumed by their thoughts. I resort to coloring or Wordle when my mind starts to wander. Perhaps you should try it too, to unleash the artists in you, rather than being bogged down by negative thoughts.
Do this if you find yourself overthinking way too much
Now let’s talk about turning overthinking into a superpower that non-overthinking friends may envy you for. You are bound to feel anxious when you overthink, which is linked to empathy. So you’re more compassionate and empathetic than an average human. But you don’t have to be consumed by your thoughts all the time. So do the below to empower yourself.
- Invest your mental energy in physical activities – Is it getting difficult to deal with intrusive thoughts? Just put on your running shoes and get out. You can plug in to focus on your favorite music while sweating it out. And before you realize it, you’ll be strong enough to run miles and even participate in a marathon if you substitute overthinking with physical activities.
- Start journaling actively – You can learn a lot about yourself by simply noting down everything that runs through your mind. It will help achieve better clarity and find solutions to problems that you feel can’t be resolved. Even if you can’t navigate it alone, you can always share these thoughts with a therapist or even a friend without dwelling on self-doubt.
- Trust your gut feeling – Overthinking can also spark from certain intuitions and, trust me, these shouldn’t be ignored. People who are sensitive to thoughts are also known for experiencing intuitive feelings and this is a sign from the universe to stay true to yourself.
