This habit is sabotaging your mental health
This habit is sabotaging your mental health
This habit is sabotaging your mental health
When you are lying in bed at night replaying your day, are you thinking about the things that went right or the things that didn’t?
Thanks to our negativity bias, the chances are pretty high that you naturally default to the negative. When those negative thoughts become obsessive, you are stuck in rumination.
We’ve all been there – we make a mistake and replay it over, and over, and over. But is that useful – No.
How do you get out of the rumination cycle?
Rumination is the habit of obsessive thinking, it is a coping mechanism for stress, and it is a common psychological experience. When not managed properly, rumination can be dangerous to your mental health.
Replaying an event to try to figure out what you might be able to do differently next time is helpful. When you are stuck in rumination, not only is it not productive, it reinforces the negative material and our negativity bias, and it does nothing to help solve the problem.
Want to break the habit of rumination?
1. Distraction (do something useful and productive). Do not try not to think about it. When you try not to think about something, you magnify it in your mind. Think about or do something else.Your brain will stay in a negative loop unless you shift your attention.
2. Shift your attention to something positive – If you messed up, think about times you got it right. Turn your attention to your strengths. Remind yourself that you are human .If you are still stuck in a negative cycle, remember this simple question: What’s right, right now?
3. Practice mindfulness. Notice when you get sucked into rumination. How does your body feel? Is it contracting or expanding? You can choose to disengage. Rumination is about the past. Bring yourself back to the present. Say to yourself, “Oh, I’m ruminating again”; this calms your brain and takes you out of a threat state, allowing you to think more clearly. Anytime you go back to rumination, gently bring yourself back to this moment and take 3 deep breaths. This will interrupt the rumination cycle.
Wherever we direct our attention becomes our reality because we find what we look for. The more you ruminate, the more likely it inclines your mind in that direction.
Breaking the habit of rumination is a skill and one that will dramatically improve your mental health. You can rewire your brain by spending more time magnifying the positive in your life and less time worrying about things you can’t control.
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Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
Protect your peace.✌️
Do you remember the Speak & Spell? 🗣
I knew I was a nerd early on because this was one of my favorite toys. I can still remember sitting on the stairs at my grandmother’s house for hours, guessing letters and deciphering secret codes. I thought technology was cool, but never in my wildest dreams did I think someday there would be a tool that could have written this post in way less time than it took me.
AI might not seem like the obvious choice for building resilience, but it can be an incredible tool for building skills that support your mental health and well-being.
Here`s How:
Mindset Shifts: AI-powered apps can help you reframe your thoughts, providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques that challenge negative thinking patterns in real time.
Building Skills: Whether it’s developing mindfulness through guided meditation, breath work, or setting reminders to practice gratitude, AI can be a daily coach to help you monitor and shift your mood and provide instant support.
Resetting: Sometimes, all you need is a moment to breathe and reset. AI-driven tools like Calm or Headspace offer quick, on-demand breathing exercises and relaxation techniques that can help reset your nervous system, reduce cortisol levels, and help you regain focus.
Building Social Connections: Social support is a key ingredient of resilience, and AI can help you foster these connections. By connecting with groups or communities with similar interests or challenges, AI can help you find support and connection.
Self-Reflection and Journaling: AI-powered journaling apps analyze your entries to identify patterns in your thoughts and emotions. This self-awareness is crucial for building resilience, allowing you to anticipate challenges and respond more effectively.
What are your favorite well-being apps? Tag them in the comments! 👇👇
Grow your attention muscle with mindfulness. 🙏
Studies show people who meditate in their 40s and 50s have the same grey matter density as people in their 20s and 30s. Grey matter density controls attention, focus, emotional regulation, and more.
Meditation is simple but difficult. Pick something to focus on (usually your breath, but it could be anything). When you get distracted, come back to whatever you’re focused on. The goal of meditation and mindfulness is to bring yourself back to the present moment. #mindfulmonday
If you haven’t heard me speak and would like to, or if you could use a little resilience boost, I hope you’ll join me LIVE next Thursday, November 21st, from 12:00-1:00 PM CST.
A huge gratitude shoutout to @culturatisummit for hosting! Register here! ⬇️
https://t.e2ma.net/click/z2p8gi/ndywtdvb/boenx2
Having friendships and a sense of belonging is considered a core psychological need and has a big impact on our physical and mental health.
In fact, it has been proven that social connection is one of the best predictors of longevity, which is why I`ve dedicated an entire module in the Resilience Reset Deep Dive to the importance of social connection to build resilience. Learn more 👉👉👉 https://www.annegradygroup.com/deepdive/
Here`s what my girls Wendy and Daisy have taught me about the importance of connection 🎥
You can’t be a source of strength for others when you are depleted. I recently heard someone say, “Self-care isn’t a bubble bath. It’s a boundary”. I love that. You don’t have to go to a spa (but if you do, please take me). Learn to say no. 🗣
Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work and Strong Enough: Choosing Courage, Resilience and Triumph.