This is not just an article. It’s a lifeline for anyone who’s ever mistaken mental friction for emotional depth. For those who’ve sat still and exhausted, not from doing - but from looping. From feeling like their mind is a thousand open tabs and every one is buzzing.
Overthinking isn't wisdom. It’s residue. And emotional hygiene isn’t self-help fluff - it’s survival. It’s knowing when your mind is bluffing danger, and choosing space over spirals. It’s not about becoming immune to thoughts - it’s about becoming selective in which ones you give a home to.
We don’t need more answers. We need less noise. Less clinging to narratives we never chose but still carry. This is the kind of guide you bookmark, reread, and whisper to yourself on the days when your mind feels like a minefield.
Clarity isn’t a goal. It’s a practice. And gentleness is the method.
This captures overthinking so beautifully, I felt like you were inside my head. I love the idea of "a morning check in that isn't about productivity, but about capacity." I like that a lot...
For me it means checking in with where I’m at before I check in on my to do list. I often wake up thinking about all the things I have to do that day, but I wanna get into the habit of checking in with how I’m feeling and what my morning needs to look like based on that, *before* I start expecting all these things from myself.
Thank you for naming this particular exhaustion with such clarity and compassion. I especially appreciate your framing of emotional hygiene as gentle, necessary maintenance rather than another productivity task. Needed this reminder today!
For me, I think the practice of putting boundaries in place about my time, energy and effort is the most effective for my emotional hygiene. It’s also the one that triggers others the most. But this piece articulates beautifully why we need to hold strong on what we need to keep ourselves healthy.
Would love to see this for the perfectionist overthinkers who try to predict every single outcome in order to make a decision to avoid failure, disappointment, or regret :)
That first sentence hits home. It's like when I watch educational videos and think I'm making progress, but I never take the first step of action because I don't apply what I've learned. I overthink and pretend I'm making progress, when I couldn't be further from it. Thank you for a great article!
This is everything I did not know I needed
I couldn’t agree more! 🌼
Exactly that
+1
*exhales softly* thank you
This is not just an article. It’s a lifeline for anyone who’s ever mistaken mental friction for emotional depth. For those who’ve sat still and exhausted, not from doing - but from looping. From feeling like their mind is a thousand open tabs and every one is buzzing.
Overthinking isn't wisdom. It’s residue. And emotional hygiene isn’t self-help fluff - it’s survival. It’s knowing when your mind is bluffing danger, and choosing space over spirals. It’s not about becoming immune to thoughts - it’s about becoming selective in which ones you give a home to.
We don’t need more answers. We need less noise. Less clinging to narratives we never chose but still carry. This is the kind of guide you bookmark, reread, and whisper to yourself on the days when your mind feels like a minefield.
Clarity isn’t a goal. It’s a practice. And gentleness is the method.
This article, that last sentence you wrote, the conversations this piece is driving - is healing and I'm so grateful for it all. Thank you.
This captures overthinking so beautifully, I felt like you were inside my head. I love the idea of "a morning check in that isn't about productivity, but about capacity." I like that a lot...
I relate, but what do they mean by “capacity”
For me it means checking in with where I’m at before I check in on my to do list. I often wake up thinking about all the things I have to do that day, but I wanna get into the habit of checking in with how I’m feeling and what my morning needs to look like based on that, *before* I start expecting all these things from myself.
Substack has a remarkable ability to show me essays like this just when i need it the most. From one overthinker to another, thank you.
"because not every story your brain tells you is one you need to live inside."
damn i needed that
Thank you for naming this particular exhaustion with such clarity and compassion. I especially appreciate your framing of emotional hygiene as gentle, necessary maintenance rather than another productivity task. Needed this reminder today!
Same I was telling myself you’re overthinking. Sometimes I can stop myself. Other times it’s too late. It is very exhausting. This was a timely read.
if underthinking, read
if overthinking, write
For me, I think the practice of putting boundaries in place about my time, energy and effort is the most effective for my emotional hygiene. It’s also the one that triggers others the most. But this piece articulates beautifully why we need to hold strong on what we need to keep ourselves healthy.
This is the best thing I've read in a while. Thanks so much!!!
"learning how to respond to yourself without judgment" reading this feels like a hug, thank you
Would love to see this for the perfectionist overthinkers who try to predict every single outcome in order to make a decision to avoid failure, disappointment, or regret :)
When you’re stuck in the mind, it’s time to get inside the body. It’s time to dance, move, play, laugh, touch, run, walk, stretch.
That first sentence hits home. It's like when I watch educational videos and think I'm making progress, but I never take the first step of action because I don't apply what I've learned. I overthink and pretend I'm making progress, when I couldn't be further from it. Thank you for a great article!
Fucking brilliant writing. I love that you did not use capital letters to begin sentences. Clever🫶🏻
this made me cry... thank you for the much needed little reminders smattered through this