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HOW DO I STOP THINKING OF THINGS OVER AND OVER - LIKE A GEAR STICK THAT REFUSES TO SHIFT? SEE IF THESE HELP YOU. MANY PEOPLE RUMINATE - IT MAY HELP YOU TO KNOW THAT.

Tips to Help You Stop Ruminating
By Erica Cirino from Healthline.Com

What is rumination?

Has your mind ever been filled with one single thought, or a string of thoughts, that just keep repeating… and repeating… and repeating themselves?

The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad or dark, is called rumination.

A habit of rumination can be dangerous to your mental health, as it can extend or intensify depression as well as impair your ability to think and process emotions. It may also cause you to feel isolated and can, in reality, push people away.

What causes ruminating?

People ruminate for a variety of reasons. According to the American Psychological Association opens in a new window, some common reasons for rumination include:

belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your life or a problem
having a history of emotional or physical trauma
facing ongoing stressors that can’t be controlled
Ruminating is also common in people who possess certain personality characteristics, which include perfectionism, neuroticism, and an excessive focus on one’s relationships with others.…

THIS IS A FABULOUS ARTICLE NOW IN A BOOK AS WELL BECAUSE IT CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE, AND STILL DOES (her article or her book). WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T MISS THIS - IT IMPARTS HOPE, IT INSPIRES MOTIVATION, THERE ARE PRINCIPLES EVERYONE CAN PRACTICE.

Amy, a Social Worker and Psychologist, experienced several family tragedies, including the death of a husband, her mother, and later her next husband’s father. She wrote the mentally strong article just as much for herself as for her readers.

After her article was published on Lifehack, she received a notice that was sent to all contributors — "Do not submit any new articles because the site is receiving much more traffic than normal!" Amy didn’t realize it at the time, but it was her article that triggered the wave of traffic.

Now in a book “13 things mentally strong people don’t do” Amy gives tips, exercises and excellent advice on increasing our mental strength which can change our entire attitude:

  1. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
    “Self pity is easily the most destructive of the non-pharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim form reality” – John Gardner.

Anxiety is one of the most difficult health disorders to deal with, mainly because it makes you feel out of control and unable to make changes. But that’s a myth, to say the least.

During my second year of college, after parents separation, depression and anxiety, I was at a crossroads: I had been put on various medications for depression and anxiety. It was around this time that OCD started to kick in. Suddenly, everything had to be perfect and if it wasn’t, anxiety got worse. Every little thing became a huge deal in my mind, and I felt nothing like the person I used to be. I knew something wasn’t right. This wasn’t my natural self and certainly wasn’t what I wanted to be. None of the medications were working to full capacity despite two years of attempts to get them right. I knew nothing of Natural Health, and yet something within me said there had to be a better way.

As I began to study Natural Health, I discovered some of the easiest answers were also the most effective. I went from suffering panic attacks, brain fog, debilitating depression to vibrant health that has lasted over 10 years of my life.…

We live in a kind of performance driven society in some respects, don't we? Where so much is expected of us - how we do this and the way we do that? A day of A Distinctions at School, High expectations in the Workplace, Entrepreneurs, how we present ourselves over Social Media. Etc. So many feel the Pressure of really high standards being imposed upon them, who aren't Perfectionists by nature. This Post should really benefit some of you - I chose two articles, so the positive is presented.

Perfectionism Is Destroying The Mental Health
Of My Millennial Generation

By Daisy Buchanan

It began at school, with A-Star expectations and a dread of failure. Now we’re on social media platforms, locked into a game of mutually assured depression.

During many work interviews, it’s common to be asked: “What’s your biggest weakness?” It’s an awful question to respond to on the spot. We know it’s a trick, and the answer isn’t: “Sometimes it takes me more than two hours to stop looking at my phone and get dressed after a shower” whatever.

The cheat’s answer of choice, the panicky pick that puts you in a better light than the truth might, is along the lines of: “I’m a perfectionist.”…

Many agree these days, that Social Media can have a pretty strong influence on your thoughts and even shape your mindsets. Some feeds can be helpful while many can be impoverishing or destructive to one's mental and physical health, depending on who you're following of-course - who is in your circle of influence.

Quite a number of people of different ages are leaving Social Media in recent times and opting for other interests like spending more time with family; starting hobbies; going out more; spending their time purposefully; after something more satisfying; improving relationships which have been stifled by Social Media. These people report that they are happier for making these decisions to "break away" from something that was "getting out of hand"...........some say it was "crippling" and they needed to find themselves again.

I can image one could feel pulled this way and that way; congested with too many feeds; stressed by too much activity in their feeds, calling out for their attention a lot, while others feel disappointed by not having enough interest shown in their feeds, and feeling poorly for that.

One time, I read someone's article that said things like, a lot of members make false representations of themselves - kind of like they've had the perfect week, so to speak, week after week - and a lot of young people feel like they don't measure up with that.…

Some Insights On How This Affects You And What To Do. Living with Clutter can affect our morale, how we feel about ourselves; cause us to be confused or anxious in thoughts, draining our mental and physical energy; it can affect our work performance and outlook on life. It also isolates some people because they don't feel at liberty to socialise much or have guests come to visit them.

I found a few helpful articles on this topic which relate to Mental and Physical Health that may be helpful.

What does clutter do to your brain and body?


An expert in organisational behaviour examines the effects disorganisation.

By Libby Sander

Many of us have started the year determined to be more organised: no more drawers full of plastic containers with missing lids, or lone socks.

The decluttering craze is led by Japanese tidying aficionado Marie Kondo, author of a New York Times bestseller and Netflix show, Tidying Up.

Charity groups such as St Vincent de Paul are reporting a 38% increase in donations, year on year, as we get rid of the clothes, books and household items that don’t ‘spark joy’ or have a place in our future.…

By SunnySkyz - Based on Survey!

A new study suggests that frequent gardening may be linked to increased health benefits.

According to the study posted on ScienceDirect, gardening just two or three times a week maximized the benefits of better wellbeing and lower stress levels. Gardening Encourages Family Togetherness, and it Keeps You Company if you live on your own too - I love to do this, my plants are great company. Folks, you don't have to have a lot of Plants to do this!

Benefits Of Gardening - Discover Them

The research explored why residents engaged with gardening and the extent to which they recognized any health benefits from the activity.

A questionnaire was distributed electronically within the UK, with 5,766 gardeners and 249 non-gardeners responding. Data was collated on factors including garden typology, frequency of gardening and individual perceptions of health and well-being.

"This is the first time the 'dose response' to gardening has been tested and the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the more frequently you garden – the greater the health benefits," said Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) wellbeing fellow and lead author Dr Lauriane Chalmin-Pui. "In fact gardening every day has the same positive impact on wellbeing than undertaking regular, vigorous exercise like cycling or running.…

WE BENEFIT FROM THE COMPANY OF AND INTERACTION WITH PETS AND ANIMALS. GUESS WHAT BENEIFITS HAVING A PET AT HOME AFFORDS? PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. AND THE BETTER WE LOOK AFTER THEM, THE HAPPIER THEY ARE. HAVING A WELL CARED FOR PET/PETS IS A RELATIONSHIP OF RECIPROCATION. PEOPLE DERIVE A SENSE OF COMFORT, CONTENTMENT OR HAPPINESS INTERACTING WITH THEIR PETS. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE BENEFIT PHYSICALLY AS WELL? IT'S AMAZING WHAT SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THESE THINGS NOW. LET'S HAVE A PEAK AND SEE:)

Pets are Cute and Pets are Cuddly - Pets are Great!

Pets come with some powerful health benefits. Here’s how caring for a dog, cat, or other animal can help relieve depression and anxiety, lower stress, and improve your heart health.

The benefits of pets
Most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals. However, many of us remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of snuggling up to a furry friend. It’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore the benefits of the human-animal bond.…

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IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, SOME OF US HAVE LEARNT SOME GOOD COPING SKILLS, AND OTHERS ARE REALLY COPING NOT SO WELL. MOST TIMES, YOU CAN'T CHANGE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THEM, BUT YOU CAN MAYBE MAKE THINGS A LITTLE LIGHTER BY BREAKING UP SOME POSSIBLE RUMINATION AND GIVING THEM SOME TANGIBLE IDEAS TO DISPERSE SOME CLOUDY THOUGHTS. SOMETIMES, JUST A SIMPLE INTERVENTION OF HAVING YOUR COMPANY FOR A WHILE AND DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT CAN BREAK UP A SOMBER STATE OF MIND THAT IS MAKING THEM FEEL SAD, LONELY OR VULNERABLE. IT'S SHOWING THEM SOMEONE CARES, HEY? AND THAT CAN MEAN A LOT.

Fill Someone's Day With Sunshine - There's So Many Ways!!!

From Different Authors

By Rachel Sharpe

Write Them A Card

If your goal is to cheer someone up, send snail mail and mail them a card. Let the card be a surprise. Within the card, write down all the reasons why you think that person is incredible. It’s a great way to make the person feel special and appreciated. It’ll likely be kept as a memento for years to come. If the person who needs cheering up typically doesn’t get mail, this will be a pleasant surprise for them.…

From The Guardian Website - Past Edition

Dawn Chorus Day is a good time to celebrate the benefits to mental and physical health of birdsong.
Let us all speak up for protecting the different Species of Birds needing our voice.

A Beautiful Nightingale Photo by National Geographic

When I hear the first willow warbler of the spring, the first cuckoo, or the first booming bittern on my local patch, I feel an enormous sense of comfort and satisfaction. As the poet Ted Hughes wrote about the annual return of swifts, “They’ve made it again, which shows that the globe’s still working…”

It’s International Dawn Chorus Day on Sunday 5 May, and this year the RSPB has released a single of birdsong (currentlyat number 11 in the charts) as part of a campaign to draw attention to the situation facing British birdlife. Populations of once-common species such as the house sparrow, starling and swift are falling fast, while the nightingale, turtle dove and grey partridge are rapidly sliding towards extinction in Britain.

Climate change, intensive farming and pollution are just some of the genuinely existential threats to the future of our birds.…