⏰ Are you ruminating?

Plus trauma dumping and how feel calmer at work.

View this email in your browser MONDAY WARMUP 💪 Try this: If you've felt pulled in a million different directions lately, set yourself up for a less overwhelming week. Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb during the day so you can really focus, schedule time for a daily mental health walk to clear your head, and plan to tackle any chores one night this week. Then check in on Friday—are you feeling more chill? Think on this: If money was no issue, what would you spend your days doing? Remember this: Despite what anxiety would have you believe, worrying about something won't affect the outcome. Read this: What the Heck Is Trauma Dumping Anyway? WELL, THIS IS DELIGHTFUL ✨ A really good reason to turn on your read receipts 11 mental fitness hacks to help you feel calmer at work These self-love affirmations won't make you feel like a fraud 7 gratitude journals that will easily fit into your routine When you finally get some alone time Were you forwarded this email? Click here to subscribe for free. LET'S TALK NUMBERS In more evidence that spending too much time on social media is, well, not great for us, a recent survey found that online bullying is increasingly common. In fact, 43% of GenZers say they have experienced cyberbullying or harassment while using online platforms. These negative experiences can take a major toll on people's mental health, increasing stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.   ASK THE EXPERT 📞 I feel trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts. Help!  It sounds like you're experiencing rumination, or your brain's obsessive replay of something pretty damn distressing. While it can be obnoxious and all-consuming, ruminating is actually a pretty common experience. Even so, it can kill your mood, wreck your sleep, and impact your ability to get through the day.  Think of ruminating as your mind on a hamster wheel, constantly rehashing some stressful or worrisome moment, and—despite all this mental energy you're spending on it—you're getting absolutely nowhere. More specifically, ruminating is a kind of obsessional thinking where you have excessive or repetitive thoughts that get in the way of other mental processes, according to the American Psychological Association.  What makes rumination different from anxiety thought spirals, catastrophizing, and worst-case-scenario thinking is that it centers on a real issue or a rational thought that you just can't stop mulling over (like your partner did cheat on you or you did make a passive aggressive comment in that team meeting), explains clinical psychologist Alyssa Faro, PhD. Here are a few other signs that you're ruminating, according to Dr. Faro: • The thing you can't stop thinking about occurred in the past (it's not a requirement, but it's typical of rumination). • That emotion, experience, or worry is negative. • Thinking about it makes you feel worse but it's hard to stop and distracts you from other important tasks or processes (like making your grocery list or getting work done). While it makes sense that distressing situations, thoughts, or emotions take up significant mental real estate, dwelling on something all day every day without ever figuring out what to do next is what makes rumination so distracting and disruptive, explains therapist Aimee Estrin, LMSW. "Unlike problem-solving, which is goal-oriented, rumination is often circular and unproductive, leading to increased feelings of anxiety and depression."  Keep reading for 6 tips to help you stop ruminating. READ MORE ON THAT NOTE 10 Therapy Hacks for Squashing Negative Thoughts How to Finally Stop Catastrophizing READ MORE READ MORE 10 Therapy Hacks for Squashing Negative Thoughts READ MORE How to Finally Stop Catastrophizing READ MORE 🎧 What we're listening to: I got a light inside of me. NEED HELP NOW? These resources can help. SAMHSA National Helpline Suicide Prevention Lifeline The Trevor Project Trans Lifeline Advertise With Us PR Inquiries Want to unsubscribe? Click here to take a break.   Copyright © 2022 Wondermind. All rights reserved.   228 Park Avenue South, Suite 26327, New York, NY 10003   All products featured on Wondermind are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.   DISCLAIMER: THIS NEWSLETTER DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE The information contained in this newsletter is for informational purposes only. This newsletter is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this newsletter.