DON'T MESS WITH ME, I'M A THINKER

"The mind is a terrible thing to waste"

I'm not sure who said this, but I could not have agreed more. As I write, I should say that it is 5:30 a.m. (that's right, in the morning). I can't seem to fall asleep because my mind won't shut off. I cannot stop thinking. I'm thinking of random, almost hypothetical scenarios (like what would I say if this happened); I'm planning my day tomorrow (What will I do? How much time do I have to do them?); I'm even organizing the future condo I plan to live in (by the way, I'm nowhere near, not even a smigen close to purchasing a condo anytime soon).

This my problem: I am a thinker. I'm constantly in my head, worrying about something while planning something else. I always think before I speak and prepare for "what if" situations. When I first meet people I'm not the most outgoing individual; not because I'm shy or judgemental, but because I'm trying to read the person/people and assess how I should behave: What if they don't like me? What if they don't find me funny? Should I say this? Will they think I'm weird/crazy/stupid/short?

Not that this is a bad thing.

I have actually come to appreciate my thinking habits. Yes, I'm told I read into things too much (like why hasn't a certain someone called me when he told me he would); but mostly, I feel it has become a lot easier for me to figure things out. For instance, it's easy for me to figure out when someone is lying. I can connect the dots quickly and I know when something doesn't seem right. I process things (I should say life things, not book things) more quickly because in my head, I picture scenerios and play situations over and over again until they make sense.

This is not to say those who aren't thinkers cannot figure things out easily, but I believe those who spend time in their heads are not often congratulated or appreciated for it. Many people are afraid of thinkers, because they don't know what's going on in their heads. Talkers are easy to understand because they don't keep quiet and listeners just sit there. Ah but thinkers.....

Our minds, and more importantly how we use our minds, is one of the greatest tools people have. For those, like me, who spend time thinking please don't stop. Like I quoted earlier, the mind is a terrible thing to waste. We can stop talking, hearing and even walking. But to stop thinking is cruel. Don't apologize for your thoughts; instead, embrace them.