Blowing winds, pouring rain, tossing and turning. Although this description sounds more like a hurricane, it is also an accurate representation of what it’s like to be an over thinker. Lying in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep is what most over thinkers have experienced far too many times. Over thinking consists of thinking too deeply about anything and everything; it’s continuously wondering if the decision you made was the right one. A common side-effect is being a people pleaser. It’s worrying if you upset someone and wondering how to fix it. It’s restless, sleepless nights thinking about every decision you’ve ever made and every one to come.

And no matter how hard you try you cannot empty your mind. You try multiple tactics to clear your head. And sometimes you are successful, but soon the thoughts slowly creep back into your mind. You cannot escape. The storm is going to last forever.

You try focusing on one thought at a time but all of a sudden there is another one in your face begging for your attention, and then another wanting your attention, then another and another—a constant cycle of thoughts needing you to pay attention to them.

Your mind takes the simplest scenario and turns it into something so intricate. Your beautifully creative and imaginative mind makes up events that are outrageous and will never happen, but causes you to panic and stress about it anyway. You know it is ridiculous but you cannot stop the cycle, you cannot stop your imagination. And even though your mind is beautiful and can create vivid and detailed scenarios, it is slowly ruining you.

Even the strongest people have a hurricane whirling around in their mind. It doesn’t make you any less beautiful. It makes you stronger mentally, emotionally, and physically. It makes trusting people hard; it makes letting others in hard. It adds an extra strain to everyday life. For those who live through this hurricane every day, it probably won’t get any easier. You probably won’t stop overanalyzing everything you’ve done from every angle. You may always be restless. But you can overcome it. You can defeat it. I know you can because I’m right there with you living the hurricane every day. Over thinking can ruin you, but only if you let it.