This Post Grad Life: Stop Thinking So Much
If I were to ever win a gold medal in the Olympics, it would be for over-thinking EVERYTHING. I guess I fit the typical girl stereotype. It’s totally like me to stand in the cosmetics aisle in Target for 80 hours trying to figure out which type of mascara I want. I’ll over-think a text I’m about to send to someone I’m dating. I’ll over-analyze a conversation I had with a friend and turn it into something it probably wasn’t in the first place. I’ll over-analyze a bedroom color if I’m painting. I’ll over-analyze…OK, you get it.
I also realize I probably made myself sound like a total freak in that last paragraph but, then again, I’m over-analyzing that too.
That being said, my new goal is to STOP. Stop over-analyzing every single little thing to a point of making up fake stories, wasting time and driving myself crazy. My philosophy has always been to have fun and leave the rest (the rest being all of those unfiltered thought process jumbled messes) so how hard can it really be? Life can’t be about wasting time freaking yourself out at the expense of everything that probably doesn’t matter anyway.
That guy that didn’t call you back? Who cares, you had FUN on the few dates you went on and got to know someone.
That one-worded text message your friend sent you after you said something that could have made her angry? You are your own person and the text message probably didn’t mean anything anyway.
The way your elbows are jiving back and forth making you look like a disoriented chicken on the dance floor? Dancing is SUPPOSED to be creative. And you look supa’ damn fly while you’re at it.
The Secret Santa gift you bought for your friend that didn’t amount to the rest of your girlfriends because you haven’t had a lot of money in a while? It’s the thought that counts and if you loved the gift–chances are she will too.
That $20 shirt at H&M you bought when you were suppose to be Christmas shopping? Go you. Gotta keep the shopper satisfied somehow.
That Friday night you spent working late and ended up missing out on a planned girls’ dinner? Life goes on, there will be more dinners and everyone will still love you.
That weird thing you said to a guy after you had a few too many Blue Moons? He probably thought it was funny and if he didn’t, it’s because it doesn’t remember.
The funny needy feeling you get when you’re alone and want someone there with you? Feel it, embrace it and good lord call up a friend and talk their ear off. Don’t apologize either.
The generic brand or the real stuff? Get the generic brand. It’s all the same anyway.
Obviously you shouldn’t live in complete ignorance. Self-awareness is one of the most important attributes out there and you want to care what others think (even though I wouldn’t mind eating Taco Bell every day and taking the world by storm in my sweatpants). But that’s one dramatic thing to another. Living a balanced life with minimal worries and very little second thoughts will make you the happiest you’ve ever been.
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Michelle - College of Idaho says:
Wed, 11th Jan 20122:06 pm
Not only do I over-analyze every situation ever, I'm a compulsive apologizer – I apologize for everything, even the things I invent in my head as I'm worrying for no reason. Sometimes if my fiance doesn't respond to a text for a while, I'll start apologizing. When people get mad at me unnecessarily, I apologize. I often apologize for other people and feel weirdly guilty for things I didn't do. I guess it's my small way of not just compulsively worrying about things, but taking responsibility for the weird made up situations I create in my head.
I can't be the only one. I need to stop saying "I'm sorry" along with the compulsive worrying, right?
forfruitfuldreamers says:
Wed, 11th Jan 20123:42 pm
I really needed to read this. I think entirely too much and about the simplest things. Also, this quote is a gem:"Stop over-analyzing every single little thing to a point of making up fake stories, wasting time and driving myself crazy." I think I'm doing okay by trying to find a happy balance between worrying and relaxing. I just tell myself not to sweat the small stuff and if something needs to be clarified then I have to pull up my big girl pants and talk about it ^_^ thanks for this post.
anna says:
Wed, 11th Jan 20126:01 pm
I totally was doing that recently with freaking out about wanting a job and how frustrated i was about the whole process. I came home today checked my email and boom…email saying I'd been hired by the local school district. i've applied at least 3 times for the job and i guess third time is a charm. Sometimes i think of how impossible something seems and give up before starting something. However when i don't excessively worry about something it all works out perfectly and in it's own time.
Ramona says:
Thu, 12th Jan 20129:35 am
I always do this and I really want to stop. I'm always saying sorry for things I didn't do!
Abby says:
Thu, 12th Jan 201210:59 am
Great post, can relate to it alot. But I am more of an overplanner
http://onestilettoatatime.blogspot.com
Meg- University of Delaware says:
Fri, 13th Jan 20122:12 pm
Me too! I'm the worst! The texting sounds like my everyday life. I've started turning my phone off for hours at a time so that I don't go insane. My boy always yells at me for apologizing for nothing too. I'm definitely in the same boat over here. At dinner the other night, he did say something that's been making me think. "The ability to let the little things slide is the only true happiness". I think its interesting.
klsloane says:
Mon, 6th Feb 20129:30 am
Reluctantly, I have to admit that I do catch myself worrying a bit excessively and over-analyzing various situations. My question to you is what do you advise people to do when they catch themselves over-thinking things? Do you have any tips on how to remove yourself from the situation and calm down? Recently, my worries have been about my future career after my graduation in May, and I cannot seem to shake them.
http://katielsloane.wordpress.com/
KatieLSloane@gmail.com