2 types of overthinkers?

This might not be the new year post you expected…

After several failed attempts of wrapping up 7 different drafts (yes, I’ve been writing since 1st January), I settled on talking about overthinking.

I wrote the topic down on 18th January with a few points. I wasn’t even sure I was going to publish anything this month but I want to try. So that’s what I’m doing now on Monday, 27th January 2025 at 5:39 pm. Trying.

Happy New Year, by the way!🥳 I hope you’ve had a good year so far. My year started good and it’s just okay now. But I’m doing my best to count my blessings and name them one by one 🫶🏽

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I’ve already spoken about overthinking a couple of times so I’m guessing you already know I do that a lot. But there’s something I recently discovered. And now everything somehow makes sense.

I told a friend, who sometimes overthinks situations, “I think we’re both overthinkers. But the difference between you and me is that you overthink and still act. I overthink and end up not acting” (usually in personal situations).

I only recently realised that there may be levels of overthinking after I put it in words. (This, my dearest reader, is the reason I like to write things down. It gives me clarity).

So based on this I can say we have 2 types of overthinkers: those who overthink and still act (almost immediately or in the long run) and those who overthink but do not usually act. (I haven’t done any research to back it🙏🏾 just personal experience and my thoughts)

I’m in the last category. I talked about one example in this post on missed opportunities. There are also some recent examples that I wouldn’t want to bore you with.

But the point is, I don’t want to live with regrets. “I wish I did this and that”. Why couldn’t I just do it at the time? We’re only 27 days into the new year and I have a tall list of things I wish I did. I don’t want that.

The way forward?

I already know about giving myself deadlines and setting reminders. But what if those deadlines are lazy ones? Like the one where I push it forward and end up not getting the opportunity to do it because someone else did.

I guess the actual way forward is to just do it. And maybe the deadlines I give myself will not be deadlines to act but rather timeframes to think🤔 I don’t have a plan…yet. Just saying.

That’s it. Do you overthink situations? Which of these 2 overthinkers are you? Do you have any strategies that help you reduce overthinking so you can act/do? Share with meeeee.

Wishing you the absolute best in 2025!

With love,

D.

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PS: I share a post once in a while on Career Musings—my other writing project. Last Sunday, I talked about asking why and something about people not only looking to solve external problems. You can read it and subscribe (if you’d like to receive those newsletters).