How can rumination help you or hurt you? My brain is always firing on all cylinders, thus potentially complicating things for me. In this post, we will discuss the pros and cons of rumination. Let’s get into it.
rumination: obsessive thinking about an idea, situation, or choice. (source- Merriam-Webster) we use the word rumination as it pertains to the mental process, not the other one.
Rumination can be a great thing for people who have the ability to be aware of their thoughts at any given moment and are able to switch thoughts back to their present moment when necessary. For others, this could be quite a challenge.
If you are prone to self-sabotage and catastrophizing in your world you are already ruminating, but in the not-so-good sense. Being obsessed with negative thoughts is definitely counterproductive if you are trying to develop new and healthy skills. Your mind is a time machine. You must figure this one out quickly, fast, and in a hurry.
You need to understand what your tendencies are so that you can create a plan on how to use rumination in a good manner. Please know that to develop your mindset the way you want you will need to put in a lot of work. If you have had obsessive thoughts leaning towards the negative side all of your life you could see how transitioning into a new frame of mind could be a challenge.
We have lots of previous posts that discuss mindsets so please check them out! You can also copy them to your computer for later access. Having a good mindset is important in the interest of internal growth and progress. Make a plan, stick to the plan, and always deliver! Why do we ruminate I wonder?
Here are some pros and cons of rumination:
Pros
- Being able to have reflective rumination could help you progress and learn from previous mistakes that you may have made and it could help you make better decisions later on down the road.
- If you have positive rumination you will mainly focus on some good and healthy thoughts which could help build confidence in the future.
- If you direct your thoughts towards certain life goals it could lead to having some clarity. Good answers and solutions can and will start to flow more naturally. The repetitive mental process can kind of rewrite your mental wiring within you. Affirmations could also help this process.
- Rumination with gratitude about where you are in life in good ways is super good for you. Remember, no matter how bad you think you have it there are many that are begging to be where you are at. Once you have that thought dialed in you will truly start appreciating the here and now. Do it!
Cons
- It is said that repetitive thinking about certain negative situations, causes, and consequences are connected to more severe depression symptoms, lack of problem-solving, lack of motivation, and concentration.
- Thinking sad things over and over again causes you to relive the experience and makes it difficult to discover peace so that you may be able to move on in a healthy manner.
- Negative rumination can exacerbate stress symptoms which then starts taking a toll on your mind and also the body physically. The symptoms of physical stress seem to be endless.
- Constant intrusive thoughts can also lead to social anxiety. This will make it extremely difficult to move forward with relationships of coworkers, friends, and family. Avoiding interactions can worsen symptoms from all angles.
- Rumination of negative thoughts can also decrease the ability to self-regulate and self-soothe emotions. Not good. This will ultimately contribute to a decline in self-esteem and self-worth if not addressed in a healthy manner.
Here are some good ways to help break your negative rumination habits:
(once done correctly it should shift your mind into Positivity Mode 🙂 )
- You can practice positive affirmations. Verbalizing those thoughts can really do good.
- Try to label the repetitive thoughts as good or bad. You would be surprised how much power it can be. Even though we already know it labeling them during or just after the thought aids in clarity.
- Think about how you could change the negative thought into something positive. Find some goodness in it. Try hard.
- Go for a walk and take in the beautiful world around you. Try to think of those things instead.
- You can try to think of something else completely. Something positive like a goal you would like to work on. Think about that with frequency and intent. Don’t forget to put action to your goals.
Disclaimer: The information above is strictly for learning purposes only. This is not mental health advice in any way. Seek a mental health professional when you need to. The above merely affords you the opportunity to have an understanding of how your mind works.
Conclusion
Rumination could be good for you or bad for you. Use your thinking cap to make good and healthy progress in your life. Dwelling on negativity and chaos isn’t really helpful towards internal growth.
Question
What good rumination are you doing right now after reading this post?
Let us know in the comments below. We all can learn from each other.
