13 things you don’t know you’re doing because you’re an overthinker

Are you an overthinker?

Some people say it’s a blessing to be a thinker when they’re solving problems. But they also say that it can seriously affect their well-being.

I know, because at times I’ve certainly been guilty of overthinking even minor worries.

The worst is when you’re thinking without even realizing it!

But it’s not all bad.

Here are 13 signs you might be an overthinker, even if you don’t think so.

1) You find meaning in everything

Someone you like takes 6 hours to reply, and you can’t stop wondering why.

Somebody makes eye contact with you at the subway, and you spend 5 minutes analyzing it.

You criticized someone at work, but now you can’t stop thinking if it really was the best approach to take.

What does all this mean?

You’re an overthinker, and you want to find meaning in everything.

It’s a little hard for you just to let things be. There’s always a reason for something, right?

2) You think more than you do

Find it hard to make a decision? Can’t stop thinking about the choices at your disposal and the best action to take?

You might be suffering from analysis paralysis.

This cycle can continue so long that you end up doing nothing.

For me, I’ve learned to just take one option and stick with it. It takes practice, but it can help to learn never to look back.

3) You get excited when you solve a problem

Maybe you’ve had a theory about someone liking you for weeks, then suddenly they do something that confirms that theory, and you’re excited beyond the moon.

Or you’ve been working on a complex problem at work, and then a simple solution hits you out of nowhere.

These are the moments an overthinker relishes. It’s why they think so much in the first place!

4) You can’t just let go things go

You can’t just let things be for what they are. There must be a reason for everything. Then you attach yourself to finding out what that reason is and you don’t want to fail.

There must be a solution for everything in your eyes.

Even if you sometimes think you’ve let it go, the cycle somehow reappears, and you’re back to thinking about it again.

The more you think about something, the more it starts to get on your nerves.

5) You’re always seeking new information

Whenever you even get an ounce of information about something, you want to learn more about it. You’re a detail-orientated person.

You’re an avid reader, and your juices start flowing when you learn something new.

New information feeds your overactive mind, and you’re always curious about how the world works.

6) You hate small-talk

The weather? What did I have for lunch? Please.

There are so many more interesting things you’d rather be talking about.

You don’t care about how someone’s day was. You want to know why they do what they do.

What’s their purpose in life? It’s deep conversations like this that keep your mind satisfied.

7) You constantly analyze people

People are what make life interesting. You’re always wondering what someone’s life is like and why they treat people the way they do.

Public places can be both fascinating and overwhelming for you. Nobody walks by just for the sake of walking by!

Their walk already reveals so much about their personality.

8) You enjoy activities that calm your mind

Let’s be honest; overthinking can be tiring at the best of times.

Exercise. Writing. Long walks. Meditation. You enjoy these things because you finally get some peace from your overactive mind.

When you’re overthinking, you find it difficult just to relax, so these activities get you focused on doing rather than thinking. After all, all overthinkers need a much-deserved break.

9) You recharge when you’re alone

Overthinkers tend to be introverts who get most of their energy when they’re alone.

If you’re an introvert you want nothing more after a long day of work than to go home and curl up with a cup of tea or a glass of bourbon.

You’re not interested in hitting up the pub or going out to dinner with friends. You just want to chill.

Alone.

And if you spend too much time in big groups or around others you will often find your energy levels plummeting and your mental clarity and ability to focus going down the drain.

10) You do your best work alone

You are much more productive when you’re alone in your office than when others are near you.

This is because it’s hard for you to not get distracted when other people are around you.

People talking, random questions while you’re working, the sounds of people chewing their food around you. It irks you to your core and it can really upset your workflow.

This is why you get annoyed when someone talks to you when you’re working in the office. If they spoke to you at a different time, you’d be nice and friendly.

But when you’re working alone? Nope, it just upsets your workflow.

Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that you’re not as comfortable around others as extroverts are.

You prefer to be alone concentrating on what you need to get done.

11) You don’t gossip or engage in drama

Gossiping…talking about people behind their back…one-upping people to make yourself look better. That’s just not your style.

In your mind, people spend way too much time on these toxic behaviors. It’s just wasted energy.

You have much better and complex thoughts going on your head than who is sleeping with who.

For you, gossip doesn’t even make you feel good.

You’d prefer to focus on yourself while keeping the peace with everyone else.

However, most people connect with each other through gossiping. Talking about others is a way to build rapport.

But you don’t engage in gossip as most people do, so other people think you’re simply not interested in becoming friends with them.

12) You’re Comfortable In Your Own Skin

You don’t feel the need to change your look every time the seasons come and go and the latest fashions and trends hit the market.

Even while everyone else around you is sporting the latest hair, styles, and even workouts, you’re more than happy to be yourself and think your own complex thoughts.

You don’t need the latest of anything to feel good about yourself, because you already feel good about yourself.

And the things that make you feel good about yourself don’t come from other people — they come from inside of you.

This is different to a lot of people. They need the external influence of people praising them and think they’re high social status.

For you, you’re already content with yourself, so why should you care about the material things that people seem to focus on?

13) You are honest with your emotions

Life is full of ups and downs. We experience continually experience a mix of emotions, from sadness one moment to frustration in the next. We then go through bouts of joy and happiness, short-lived though they may be.

The constant cycle of emotions doesn’t faze you. In fact, you embrace all of your emotions without needing to judge them or change them.

You are honest with yourself about what you’re experiencing in that present moment.

This can mean that when you’re speaking to someone, you can’t help but show your emotion if you feel uncomfortable.