PERSONAL SPECIAL................. 10 Things over-thinkers are tired of spending too much thought on

10 Things over-thinkers are tired of spending too much thought on





OVER-THINKERS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR BREAKING DOWN THE ANATOMY OF A TEXT MESSAGE OR E-MAIL, RIGHT DOWN THAT LAST PIECE OF PUNCTUATION

While writing this intro, I deleted the first paragraph approximately six times. My thoughts ranged from `just get to the point already' to `that sentence makes no sense.' Truthfully, I probably was getting to the point and my sentences most likely did make sense. Hi, I'm a chronic over-thinker. Nice to meet you.

To say that it's somewhat tiring to live with an over-thinking brain is an understatement. Yet, the cycle constantly churns, despite attempts to quiet those incessant thoughts. Below are just a few things all over-thinkers are tired of overanalysing (but really, we just can't help it)...

1 THAT TEXT MESSAGE FROM OUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

“I'm fine.“ What does that mean? Why a period and not an exclamation point?
Over-thinkers are notorious for breaking down the anatomy of a text message or e-mail, right down that last piece of punctuation. We will wonder why there was no smiley or, worse, what that emoticon really means. We will keep thinking about how the other person must be feeling and whether they're upset, happy or just plain indifferent.

2 THAT COMMENT FROM OUR BOSS

Logically we know a little criticism isn't going to get us fired. Nor will it hamper our chances of getting a good appraisal unless the damage done is significant. However, we can't help but make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to our work. And our extreme analysis may actually impede our performance. We wonder if a colleague getting a praise will be a good thing for us. According to a study, thinking too much about a task may actually be a distraction and affect the outcome. Yikes.

3 THE FIRST IMPRESSION WE JUST GAVE OFF

`Did I laugh too loudly?' `Was I too opinionated about that Supreme Court ruling?' `Did I have something in my teeth?' `Did I sound very rude?' `Should I have smiled at that person?' A range of thoughts -both mundane and bizarre can go around in an overthinkers head and keep bugging them till the next thought takes over.

4 OUR WEEKEND PLANS

Or any plans for that matter, because our indecisive nature comes into play.Will one group of friends feel bad if we don't hang out with them this weekend? Will my best friend feel left out if I hang around with my boyfriend this weekend? Don't even get us started on where to go for dinner.

5 THAT FIGHT WE JUST HAD WITH OUR FRIEND

You know those montages that happen in movies when two people are on the outs? Welcome to the front-row seat of an over-thinker's mind. Not only do we replay the strong words we exchanged over and over again till they are imprinted in our memory for a lifetime, we also map out in our brains what could've happened had we said something different. That outcome is always much better. An over-thinker may also replay the incident to anyone who cares to listen and discuss it until the other person feels saturated.

6 OUR PAINFUL BREAKUP

Failed relationships are basically our kryptonite. What could I have done differently?' `Am I to blame?' `Should I have been less clingy?' `Did I trust too much?' These are just some of the questions that an over-thinker might have. But take heart, over-thinkers -all that ruminating may be helpful after all. A study found those who analysed their breakup more often through a series of questionnaires regained their sense of self more quickly than those who did not.

7 WHAT IT MEANS IF OUR LEG HURTS OR IF WE HAVE A COLD FOR MORE THAN A DAY

Hypochondriacs can feel terrified about something being wrong even when there's nothing to worry. They can keep wondering about the worst case scenario and ask themselves i they did something wrong. But really if you're super concerned, please see a doctor.

8 THE TWEET WE JUST SENT OUT

Well, we thought it was funny but apparently the two followers we just lost didn't agree. Delete. Not only will over-thinkers give posting anything online a lot of thought, they will also notice everyone who likes it, shares it and comments on it. And while the negative comments can start a whole new chain of thoughts, even some of the positive ones can seem intriguing.

9 THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

For over-thinkers, `we need to talk' or `let's set up a meeting' may as well mean pack your bags. Our brains instantly dart to the least favourable outcome as a defence mechanism and we keep playing the possible scenario in our mind over and over again till, of course, `the talk' takes place. And after that, it's a whole new thought process all over again. Sigh. However, research shows this negative or hostile thinking is hardly beneficial. A sour mindset has been linked to higher risk for stress and even some physical health conditions. 

10 THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T STOP OVERTHINKING

Seriously. It's exhausting. In all honesty, it's not a simple matter of shutting your brain off. One can't just wake up one day and decide `not to think too much'. Over-thinkers just can't help but get lost in the corners of their minds. But while we're working to `let it go' a little more (meditation helps), we wouldn't complain if you added an exclamation point rather than a period to the end of your texts. You know, just in case.

-Lindsay Holmes, HuffingtonPost in

BT14JUL15