To All the Overthinkers

This is a rough time.

When I planned this blog post back in December, I could’ve never guessed that this would be the condition of world just three months later.

But nothing is coincidental, so this is the perfect time to address overthinkers, as everything around us is in limbo.

I just want to point out if it hasn’t been made clear already that there is absolutely nothing on here that I write about that hasn’t hit me first.

Every single topic has first come to me in the form of often unfortunate life experiences.

Today is no different.

What is different, however, is my state of mind on the matter.

Usually I have already conquered or am close to conquering whatever issue I cover.

I’m a firm believer in doing things this way, because once you put something out into the world, you have to be strong enough to withstand whatever feedback you receive.

You don’t need to share things prematurely or else that breakthrough could be tainted, unfortunately.

But God makes no mistakes, and I would be remiss if I wasn’t completely transparent about this subject and where I am mentally.

I am a writer, maybe I’m meant to write my way through this.

So, cheers to transparency!

I hope this resonates with all of us.

I am the ultimate overthinker.

Like, I have a special talent for taking the most minimal thing and trying to break it apart to see what all it could mean or lead to.

Logically, I know that there are times where I must take things at face value, sometimes things just are what they are.

The inquisitive part of my mind doesn’t understand that logic, though.

Take this Coronavirus Pandemic that’s going on, for example.

When it came to COVID-19, I had been following the story since the top of the year, so I knew it was a serious problem, but I never thought it would impact America the way it has.

There have been countless pandemics that we’ve been able to avoid, at least for the masses.

Swine Flu, Ebola, Zika Virus, we’ve remained standing through them all.

But this time, there has been a massive shift, and the world has literally been put on pause.

Most of you know that I’m a senior in college that was set to graduate in May.

It was the end of my spring break when I got the message that we would not be allowed back to campus for two weeks.

I was immediately irritated, because my routine would be disrupted, and as a planner, that’s one of the most frustrating things there is.

But it would only be two weeks, I’d be able to come back and finish strong in that last month.

Wrong.

Four days later, I received another message saying that we would continue classes virtually for the duration of the semester and graduation would be postponed.

My college career ended just like that.

There will be no final presentations, no official goodbyes to all the staff and students I’ve come to know and love on this four year journey, no spring concert for the university gospel choir that I’m a member of, no adult prom for the NAACP collegiate chapter I participate in, no end of the year school cookout.

And while they haven’t cancelled graduation, things have been changing so much that I haven’t a clue if I’ll ever walk across the stage.

To make matters worse, both my jobs were through the university, so now I am unemployed.

I also had to make a very hard decision in my personal life, so I’m dealing with the repercussions of that as well.

Literally everything is falling apart.

And of course, through it all, my mind is running a mile a minute.

I’m usually a very optimistic person, but I haven’t felt like being positive at all within the last two weeks.

I kept speaking negativity to myself.

“I’ll never get the chance to graduate.”

“My senior year is ruined.”

“This heartbreak will never end.”

“I’ll hate whatever temporary job I end up with.”

“My health is going to start plummeting again.”

Hate, hate, hate.

I kept thinking of the worst possible scenarios, despite my logic stating otherwise.

I kept encouraging others through our social media, all while feeling the most discouraged I’ve ever felt.

That’s just the truth of the matter.

Sometimes people of influence who pour into others struggle with the very things they inspire others with, while doing so.

I guess it’s a positive projection of sorts.

But I’m tired of being depressed.

There is literally nothing I can do about what’s going on right now, I might as well make something of it.

And as I’m writing this, I’m thinking of all the previous trials I’ve been through.

There was a four-year period where my family didn’t have our own home, and in the midst of that my parents separated, other misfortunes occurred, we were just taking loss after loss.

And I just remember thinking, for us to be going through all this, our life on the other side MUST be full of abundance.

There’s just no reason for us to be in the midst of all this hell to not be the epitome of victorious afterwards.

So, that’s what I’m going to tell myself right now.

I know that things won’t do a complete 180 overnight, and I’ll have more low moments, definitely shed more tears, but I have to shift my narrative.

This is the biggest lesson for overthinkers who seek control, because this is where our faith and grit really prevail.

I don’t know what the future holds, long-term or short-term, but I know that if I conquered all my other battles, I’ll conquer this too.

And my story will be marvelous.

It will impact lives in ways beyond my wildest imaginations.

So, to all the overthinkers, accept what is, buckle down, and prepare for your greatest comeback yet.

I can’t wait to hear your stories of triumph.

Let me know what you think of today’s post in the comments below and on our social media pages!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelaninperspectiveblog/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themelaninperspective/?ref=bookmarks