3 Things to Consider the Next Time Someone says, "You Think Too Much"

Because believing them would be a mistake

You think too much.

That’s what you’ll hear from someone who doesn’t take the time to understand you.

You don’t have to allow this misunderstanding to flavor your opinion of yourself.

The trouble with overthinking isn’t that you think too much.

It’s that you slip into thinking gullies that fail to help you get ahead.

Picking and choosing what to think about is what lifts you out of the gully. And lucky for you, success is far closer than for someone who doesn’t exercise their thinking muscle much at all.

Take a look at the key difference between the words thinking and overthinking to see how a little tweak can add a whole new level of thinking-success to your day.

Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, defines overthinking as:

: to put too much time into thinking about or analyzing (something) in a way that is more harmful than helpful

Meanwhile, thinking is defined as:

: to exercise the powers of judgment, conception, or inference : to have the mind engaged in reflection : to form or have in the mind

You can’t overdo thinking.

In fact it’s a blessing to have people who think a lot in our society.

Overthinking is not too much thinking. It’s thinking in a way that is more harmful than helpful.

While overthinking harms you, thinking can be done abundantly without it ever turning into overthinking.

Good to know, right?

The next time someone tells you that you think too much, ask yourself these three questions:

1) Is my thinking process right now, helping me or harming me?

2) Does this person in front of me want to take the time to hear me out, with the purpose of helping me, whether I’m overthinking or not?

3) How can I use my ability to think in a way that is streamlined to help me live well, and in alignment with my values?

I wouldn’t say, you think too much. Your thinking is a gift.

When I put the call out to overthinkers, I do so lovingly, as if to say, you have exceptional thinking abilities. Be sure to use your thinking abilities for good instead of in ways that harm you.

The harm is in the perfectionistic tendencies, the ruminating, self-doubt, second-guessing, inaction, self-criticism, anxiousness, indecision, exhaustion, and tossing-and-turning at night.

When you exhibit these harmful tendencies it doesn’t mean your thinking apparatus is broken, or that you’re too much. It’s a sign that your thinking needs to be lovingly steered by you, so that its direction is helpful instead of harmful.

Connect with me, to help steer and streamline your thinking.

A good night’s sleep, clear decision making, and more meaningful relationships are the result.