Hello hello!
Today, I want to dive into something that has hogged up a lot of mental real estate lately: the art and necessity of overthinking simple things with the lens of someone with ADHD. You might think right now, "Oh great, another overthinking post," but bear with me here, guys. Let me start with a truth bomb: having ADHD often feels like trying to build a house without a blueprint. Our executive function—EF, that mental taskmaster that helps neurotypical people organize, plan, and execute tasks—sometimes feels as though it's on permanent vacation. And that's just why I've found myself diving deeper into things that others might find 'simple.'
You see, I used to get called an overthinker quite a bit. 'Why do you need to define everything so precisely?' they'd ask. 'Just go with the flow!' But here's the thing: when your brain isn't hardwired to create structure for you, you have to build it yourself painfully and on purpose. Think of it this way: try following a recipe in which all the measurements are 'a bit,' 'some,' and 'until it feels right.' That's pretty much what most day-to-day instructions feel like when you have ADHD.
That is why I started what I refer to as 'radical definition': breaking down concepts into the most simple blocks and grasping how they interlink. Take this simple notion, for instance: 'being productive.' What does that really mean? Obvious to some, maybe, but with we ADHDers, we have to break it down: what counts towards production, and to what measure? What's the difference between being busy versus productive? These are not academic exercises; this is survival.
The process of operationalizing terms—turning vague concepts into concrete and measurable things—isn't overthinking. It's creating the structure our ADHD brains are asking for. It is building blueprints when the world doesn't give us ones that work. And you know what? This realization has sparked something bigger. I've also been working on an entirely new section for the website—something that is going to take this idea of building structure and run with it. It's going to be a space where we explore not just the what but how to create systems that work for our unique brain wiring.
But that's a story for another day—soon, very soon, I promise! For now, just remember this: if you've ever been labelled an overthinker because you needed clear definitions and clear-cut structures, you're definitely not an outlier. What often feels like overthinking to others is often just us building out the foundations we will need to operate. Stay tuned for some cool updates coming to the site. Honestly, if this post resonated with you, you are going to want to stay tuned.
See you later! 😉