Overthinking is so much more than simple anxiety-filled worry. It is the worry that creeps up on you just when you think you are finally doing good.

It is worry about things or events that may never occur, and at the same time dwelling over events that have already past. It is regret and worry over if you did the right thing. Overthinking is fear of the future and fear of the haunting past.

It is every fear that you have ever had. Fear of failure in school, a job, a friendship, or a relationship. Over-thinkers are perfectionist. We strive for success and set unrealistic expectations for ourselves. When we do that, we are automatically setting ourselves up for failure without even realizing it.

It is being physically and emotionally exhausted from a brain that never shuts off.

Overthinking is replaying every encounter or conversation in your head over and over in attempts to ensure that you said the right thing or to find hidden answers. It is going back and forth in deciding whether to send a risky text message or not because your mind is playing tricks on you. It is the constant need for reassurance and answers to keep your mind at bay.

Overthinking is the dark cloud in your head that makes making decisions impossible. It is the voice of criticism that doubts everyone's intentions, including yourself.

It is waiting for something to go wrong; it is waiting for something to go right. It is waiting for someone to change their feelings about you. It is always waiting; never living in the moment and never being mindful.

This has got to change.

Do not allow these dark thoughts to cross your mind. When you are having a good day and suddenly these thoughts tap on your shoulder, tell yourself that you are stronger than your mind alone. You will not allow the power of overthinking to control your life.

There have been so many times where my thoughts wont allow me to live my life, to focus on the important things right in front of my eyes, or even get out of bed for that matter.

This is not okay.

The more you continue to overthink about things out of your control, the more you are feeding the fire in your mind.

Overthinking is something that I have struggled with my whole life. Always striving for perfection. Always striving to make things better. Always looking into the future with worry. When I am doing that, I don't realize that I am actually making matters much, much worse. I am not living my best life. I am not enjoying what is right in front of me.

Before you know it, it will be too late. All those times of worry and overthinking will suck up every important moment of your life.

It is time to start living now.

Stop worrying about what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. You will someday look back and realize that those small moments were actually big moments.

I often look back at times that I took for granted, whether it be in a relationship, with family, or with friends, and I wish I hadn't been so busy worrying and overthinking to the point that I was not able to enjoy that time.

As I have gotten older, I have realized that these small, important moments will not last forever, and the important people that surround you will not be around forever. We must learn to appreciate our lives right in front of us. It may not be what we want at the time, but it is so important to soak up every last bit of it because you never know when it could end.

For those of you that struggle with this, please know that I am with you. I hear you and we will learn to be happy with life as it is, not as we wish it to be.