Being an overthinker is not always a bad thing, you know, even though it gets a bad rap from most people. Come to think of it, there are many reasons as to why it’s actually a good thing being an overthinker.
I recently read an article about signs that you are an “overthinker.”
Spoiler alert: I am one.
The article irritated me because it positioned overthinking as a negative thing – as in we think about things more than we should. We obsess over things, overanalyze them, and drive ourselves and those around us crazy. And I will admit that yes, overthinking can be a bad thing, causing all kinds of unnecessary stress and anxiety. There is no need to spend twenty minutes thinking about the way a coworker said “good morning” as they walked by. However, I also argue that not all overthinking is bad. There is an important distinction that needs to be made…
Sometimes overthinking is actually deep thinking.
So on behalf of everyone who has been told they are overthinking, overanalyzing, or making things too complicated, I pose another way to look at it.
Here Are 5 Reasons Why It’s Actually Good To Be An Overthinker
1. We want to find meaning in everything.
Yes, this means we tend to analyze the sh*t out what you say and how you say it – down to the tone of your voice, look in your eyes, and placement of your hands. But it also means we are paying attention. We are listening. We not only care about what you are saying, but who you are behind your words.
We assume you are a person who is deep and deliberate… a person with intention… and we want to figure you out. Would you prefer we see you as someone with no meaning behind your words and actions?
Related: 14 Things All Over-Thinkers Will Understand
2. We can’t just let things go.
This one really gets to me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told some version of “you just need to let it go.” Usually that “it” is referring to a man or a relationship. Well, we can’t let them go because we want to understand them. For us, there is a reason for every relationship and every interaction, and we need to know what it is.
We don’t see things as happenstance, bad luck, or coincidence. We view our life – and your life – as part of a larger scheme. There is a bigger game at play… and our relationships have a purpose. So no, we won’t let anything go until we fully understand that reason.
But is that such a bad thing? To seek out the grander reasons in life? To want to understand the things and people that matter to us on the deepest level possible?
3. We constantly analyze people.
Constantly. Because people are fascinating. Everyone has a story – it is special and unique to them, yet universal at the same time. If you look close enough at anyone, you can find a connection point. If you seek to understand them – how they think and why they think that way – you can always find a way to relate.
And in relating, there is comfort. So yes, we are constantly analyzing you, your mother, your friends, and the person sitting at the table across from us… but that’s only because we care.
