Rumination: we lovingly refer to this as "hamster wheel brain" in the clinic. Thoughts going round and round in your head, like an old 80's song you just can't get rid of. You may feel them excessively aggressive during Earth time, the end of summer. Don't let these thoughts control your day! Thoughts are meant to come in, be pondered, and then create action or be dismissed. When they get stuck bouncing around forever they create distress to your spirit and your body. Here are a few tips to help quell the repetition:
-Decide: Am I avoiding anything? Figure out if there is an action you are putting off, something you need to do, or to say. Make a plan and take the action to escape the limbo.
-If you aren't actively problem solving and coming up with steps that are useful, set a time limit: 5 minutes. After that, go and do something different: clean the kitchen, walk the dog, listen to your favorite song... Using your senses to connect to the things around you: touch, smell, hear, etc will help your brain shift modes and re-enter the present moment. Taking a break will help your spirit relax and may even give you new clarity.
-Notice if you find yourself drowning in "what if's." Tell yourself: this is only an imagined worry, and if it does happen to come to pass, my future self can deal with it. Come back to the present and take the fuel away from the anxiety by imagining future scenarios.
Need extra help? Acupuncture and natural medicine can give you more tools to find peace.