Do you overthink? I know this is a funny question to ask a highly sensitive person. I definitely do! I’m making a conscious effort to eradicate this habit because it makes me crazy.
Highly sensitive people tend to be over-analyzers. It’s fine to analyze something, but it becomes counterproductive to overdo it. Ruminating over possible solutions raises anxiety and lessens our ability to solve problems.
When I overthink something, it’s often because I’m trying to make a “perfect” decision. I have to keep reminding myself that there’s no perfect decision. Being a perfectionist just keeps me stuck in perpetual disappointment.
I like to think that I can be in complete control of my life. Of course, this is impossible, but I’m learning that I can have some control by doing my best and making decisions based on the information that I have at the time. I’m also comforted that I can make adjustments as needed.
As general rule, I take no more than twenty minutes to think about a solution to a problem. If it takes longer, I go back to it either in a few hours or days, depending on when a decision needs to be made. Getting a different perspective from a close relative, friend, counselor, or coach can help.
Do you overthink? I’m interested in any thoughts or comments that you have.
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Yes, I overthink too much, too. In my case, it is stagnating and causes indecisiveness. Then, when I do make a decision, if I get an opposing opinion from a loved one, my highly sensitive nature takes it as judgmental.