Why Rumination Keeps Us Stuck

Rumination is “to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly” by definition. In a psychological sense, this thinking pattern is also connected to thinking negative thoughts repeatedly. It can lead to feeling stuck.

Thoughts swirl around your mind.

• “I know he didn’t see the good work I did on that project!”
• “They said there would not be layoffs and I moved to this role to grow!”.
• “It must be me, I keep messing up…” “They are to blame. They are a bunch of narcissists!”
• “I can prove that he lied, it’s all in the emails.”

What can you do to stop negative thoughts from swirling that keep focused on things you can’t control? This article from Psychology Today gives an overview of how to stop ruminating: How to break the cycle of rumination and there are three tips below.

Three Tips to Stop Rumination

• 1. Name the thought
  A technique from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy suggests creating distance from your thoughts. Instead of “I ruined everything,” try: “I’m having the thought that I ruined everything.” This simple shift reminds your brain that thoughts aren’t facts.
• 2. Schedule a worry window
  Used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, this method contains rumination instead of letting it run all day. Set aside 10–15 minutes to think through worries. When they pop up earlier, tell yourself: “Not now. I’ll think about it tonight.”
• 3. Change your physical state
  Rumination thrives when we’re mentally idle. A short walk, stretching, or even splashing cold water on your face can interrupt the mental loop and reset attention.

💡 Sometimes the most productive thing we can do isn’t to think harder, it’s to change how we engage with our thoughts. Awareness creates space and in that space, we get to choose our next step.

Additional Reading:

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
• The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth
• Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness
• The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
• Leaders Eat Last

Self-Development Journals

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