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The Weekly Post

A Very Reasonable Amount of Thinking

I don’t think I’m an overthinker.

I know that’s exactly what an overthinker would say, but I mean it. I’m not sitting around spiralling about everything. I just… give things the attention they deserve. And then a bit more. And then, occasionally, a follow-up.

The problem with having a thoughtful nature is that nothing stays small for very long.

A normal moment shows up – something simple, harmless – and instead of letting it pass, I hang onto it. Not in a meaningful, poetic way. More in a “quick look” kind of way that quietly turns into ten minutes of analysis.

Take going for a walk. Some people go for a walk and just walk. Maybe they think about dinner. Maybe nothing at all. It seems peaceful.

I go for a walk and, at some point, start wondering if I actually enjoy walking or if I just like the idea of being someone who goes for walks. Which feels like a completely reasonable thing to unpack mid-walk.

It’s not exhausting. It’s just… always there.

Even relaxing doesn’t really work. I’ll sit down with the full intention of doing nothing—no phone, no tasks, no “quick things” that turn into an hour. Just sitting.

Within a few minutes, my brain leans in like it’s being helpful and asks, “Is this working for you?”

So now I’m not relaxing. I’m evaluating relaxation. I’ve somehow turned sitting on the couch into a performance review.

There’s also this thing where I narrate my own life a little. Not out loud – that would be a separate issue – but just enough to notice what’s happening while it’s happening. For example, I’ll be doing something completely ordinary like making coffee, or loading the dishwasher, and part of me is off to the side thinking, yeah… this feels like something.

Not big. Not important. Just… something.

Like, this could be a paragraph someday. Which is a weird amount of pressure to put on a plate.

And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. There’s something nice about noticing your own life while it’s happening. About catching small moments before they disappear and giving them just enough attention that they feel a little less disposable.

But it does come with a trade-off.

Because sometimes, you don’t need a moment to mean anything.

Sometimes, you just need to drink your coffee while it’s still hot.

And not wonder what that says about you.

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