4 Types of Rumination- How to Instantly Calm Your Mind

How to stop ruminating?

What about turning that ‘why’ into ‘how’? 🙂
→    How can we stop dwelling on every mistake we’ve made?

Let’s try this technique:
→    Temporal Distance

It’s gonna help you stop overthinking.

1.    To start, take a moment to slow down.
Just focus your attention on your breath.
It’s hard to think clearly when you’re worked up.
So give yourself a few deep breaths to calm your mind.

2.    Now grab pen and paper.

Ask yourself:
→    What’s the problem I’m ruminating about?

Then, write it down.
For example:
“I missed the deadline for my project at work.
I keep worrying about how this will affect my reputation.”

3.    Alright! Now let’s dive into the future.
Picture yourself a year from now.
Imagine looking back at this exact situation from that future perspective.
Can you picture it?
Can you imagine being in August 2025?

Great! Now ask yourself:
→    How significant does it seem now?
→    Is it something I’ll still be worried about?
→    Or is it a small blip in my past?

4.    Now it’s time to reflect on this new perspective.
Think about how your future self might feel about this.
You might see it as a learning experience rather than a disaster.

So, ask yourself:
→    How does that make you feel about the situation now?

For example, you might:
→    View the missed deadline as a minor hiccup in your career
→    Feel it helped you manage your time and energy better
→    Realize that it helped you grow faster

Perspective is so powerful, isn’t it?

5.    Okay, now grab a pen and paper again.
Jot down your thoughts on how this issue might seem in the future.
Just write down your new perspective.
You might write:
“In a year, this missed deadline will feel like a small setback in a much larger career.
I’ve actually learned from it — and grown in my role.”

6.    Last push!
Use this new perspective to refocus your attention.

So you can stop overthinking it.

Ask yourself:
→    What can I do right now to address the situation?
→    What can I do right now to shift my energy to something more positive?

Maybe you can do what I personally love.
Well, creating a plan to prevent similar issues in the future.
This way, you can feel more prepared — and less worried or anxious.
Preparation matters, right?

This is how we can stop dwelling on every mistake we’ve made.