so she thought...

Welcome to the diary of a professional over-thinker. Join me as I try to get my mind right amid the sea of chaos we call adulthood - and in my hopes to help you do the same.

Sometimes the world makes it seem like we’re supposed to have it all figured out. Like everybody around us has their lives together.

January, especially, always seems to come with its own brand of existential whiplash. One moment, you’re popping champagne, making promises to your future self, and swimming in the glow of potential. The next, you’re staring at the untouched to-do list on your desk, wondering if you’re actually the same person who said, “This year, I’ll finally figure my whole life out.”

My name is Delaney, and this is where so she thought comes in — part overthinking-in-real-time, part solutions. If you’ve ever had 57 tabs open in your brain while still managing to Google, "Why am I like this?" at 2 a.m., you’re in good company.

Overthinking: A Survival Mechanism or Self-Sabotage?

I’ve been reading a lot about the psychology of overthinking lately. It’s a defense mechanism, psychologists say. Somewhere along the way, our brains decided that obsessively turning things over—analyzing, questioning, and worst-case-scenario-ing—was safer than acting. Makes sense, right? If you don’t choose, you can’t choose wrong. But here’s the catch: staying in your head for too long turns decisions into quicksand. The more you think, the harder it is to move.

Take adulthood. No one warns you that “figuring it out” is a lifelong process. Choosing a career? A partner? Where to live? These aren’t just decisions; they’re a series of micro-identities to try on. And throughout many periods of my life I’ve noticed that while I’m trying to choose, the world is moving on.

What the Experts Say

Recently, I came across Barry Schwartz’s book The Paradox of Choice, which argues that having too many options can actually make us more anxious. Schwartz suggests that by striving for perfection in our choices, we rob ourselves of satisfaction. Combine that with our Instagram-curated culture—where every meal, outfit, and relationship feels like a performance—and it’s no wonder so many of us are paralyzed by indecision.

Meanwhile, I’ve been binge-listening to Mel Robbins’ podcast, and one line hit me like a lightning bolt: “You don’t need to feel ready to start. You just need to start.” It’s both annoyingly simple and painfully true. The antidote to overthinking is action—any action, even if it’s imperfect. So here I am, writing this, hitting publish, and choosing to stop marinating in doubt.

Let’s Overthink Together (But Productively)

My hope for so she thought is to share the messy, beautiful process of navigating adulthood while borrowing wisdom from psychology, wellness and nutritional research, and the occasional rabbit hole of a TikTok trend. I’ll share the books I’m reading, the podcasts I’m loving, and the lessons I’m (slowly) learning about what it means to show up authentically, even when your inner critic won’t shut up.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” — the answer is no. You’re not alone. Welcome to this little corner of overthinking, where we can untangle the chaos together.

Until next time, Delaney <3