Most of us that tend to over-think things are bright and contemplative people. Our minds are always going, imagining endless scenarios for everything that happens to cross our paths in daily life. Unfortunately, it can also be quite exhausting.
When you can’t turn your brain off, it’s hard to ‘just be’ in the moment, to let go and relax.
I’m sure that you are already aware of it if you happen to be an over-thinker.
But for those who might want more proof, I’ve compiled a list of nine common traits of chronic overthinkers.
1. Forming Trusting Relationships Is Difficult
It’s hard for an over-thinker to trust others and it usually takes a good amount of time before they can build trust with new people they meet. All of us have been hurt in the past, but for over-thinkers, it’s almost impossible for that pain to disappear completely.
Even if it’s something as simple as not getting a reply to a text they sent.
The over-thinker will come up with a bunch of scenarios as to why they didn’t get a reply and automatically assumes the worst until they hear otherwise.
2. Trouble Falling or Staying Asleep
Can you identify with the word insomniac? If so, you might be an over-thinker. It’s hard to fall asleep when your brain is going a million miles per hour, trying to come up with ideas and repeating thoughts.
It’s also difficult to sleep when you’re upset or worried about something. Over-thinkers tend to go over every little thing that happened to them and imagine different scenarios for what they should have done or said.
3. Superb Conversationalists
They have a lot to say, and they say it well. Since their brains are always going full force, they have stored a lot of information they can share. This gives them the ability to communicate on many different subjects with a variety of different types of people.
You may find over-thinkers working in social environments where they encounter many people on a daily basis, and can easily engage in conversation with all of them.
4. The Smallest Cut Is a Huge Deal
Over-thinkers are often labeled as hypochondriacs by those that know them well.
Something as small as a tiny cut on their hand may send them rushing to the immediate care center; worried about tetanus since they can’t remember the last time they had a tetanus vaccine.
Do you have a tickle in your throat and coughed a couple of times?
This may have them keeping their distance from you until they’re positive you’re not contagious.
5. Amazing Critical Thinkers
Over-thinkers have a knack for being able to solve problems because they are excellent critical thinkers. They are very detail oriented and able to foresee many different outcomes in situations. This ability helps them prepare for those outcomes ahead of time so that they are ready to react when needed.
6. Apologizing When Not Needed
Saying I’m sorry and admitting when you are wrong is an important social skill to have. However, many over-thinkers apologize when it isn’t necessary. Usually, it’s because they’ve thought too much about something and made it seem like a bigger deal than it is.
Although, apologizing too often or when it’s not needed, validates others to place the blame on them even if it wasn’t their fault.
7. Life Of The Party; When Not Overthinking Things
They are hilarious when they relax and stop over-thinking things. After a drink or two, they will have everyone in the room laughing at their witty jokes and amazing sense of humor.
Unfortunately, if they get too intoxicated, they tend to make bad decisions that they later regret. This means spending the next week thinking about what they did. So, for over-thinkers, it’s best to take it slow when partying.
8. Often Needs A Second Opinion From Friends
Since they tend to overthink every little thing, they like to have a second opinion from their friends. All the thinking they do can lead to doubting their own decisions, and it’s best to have some reassurance from those that they care about.
It may be something simple, like wanting to try a new hairstyle, but it takes the confidence boost from someone’s opinion they respect, to give them the guts to try it.
9. Puts Everyone Else’s Happiness Before Their Own
When an over-thinker loves someone, they go above and beyond to make sure that person is happy. This is an excellent trait to have, but sometimes they forget to focus on their happiness as well. Sometimes they need to be reminded that their happiness is as equally important.
How many of you out there can relate to these traits and what are some other traits that I may have missed? I’m sure that as a fellow over-thinker you’ve probably got something wonderful to contribute the conversation that we’d all love to hear!
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About the Author: Bethany Vincent is a writer from La Grange Kentucky who has loved playing with words since she first learned to speak. She lives with her teenage son and adopted dog daughter in a cute, yellow house with a picket fence. During college at the University of Louisville, she could be found at the writing center most of the time and her main areas of focus were literature, creative writing, and visual arts. Bethany has contributed articles and created content for many websites and blogs during her writing career. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, juggle-dancing, yoga, photography, cooking and singing along with her favorite songs while in the car driving. In the future, she plans to finish writing her first book and hopes to travel to all the beautiful places that she’s read about.
