Mini Episode #6-Rumination
The One You Feed8 Sep 2014

Mini Episode #6-Rumination

Eric explores rumination and how damaging it can be to our mental health.What is it?What's the difference between rumination and self reflection?Hebb's Law and the role it plays in rumination.How to escape rumination.Rough Transcript: A few weeks ago I was at one of the local meditation centers and people were doing walking meditation. There was a guy walking incredibly slow and everyone was backing up behind him because no one but a disabled snail can move at that pace. So people weren’t doing walking meditation they were standing and looking at this guy with a grouchy look on their faces.So I decided to stop him and explain that no one else could enjoy the meditation experience and it would be helpful if he could go just a bit faster.A few minutes later we sat back down for sitting meditation and my mind began racing. Should I not have said anything? Was I rude? Was this guy angry? So I decided that when we got up I would go over to him and explain myself and make sure we were good. Problem solved….except not for my mind. On and on it went re-playing the scene and thinking about the upcoming conversation.This is commonly know as rumination or brooding.Rumination is the compulsively focused attention on the symptoms of one's distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions. Rumination is generally considered differently than self-reflection. Self-reflelction tends to offer new insights wheras rumination is just playing the same negative thoughts and feelings over and over.You will never plow a field by turning it over in your mind-Irish ProverbThe challenge with rumination (or brooding) is that it feels like we are doing something about the issue or problem by continuing to think about it and ponder it. However rumination is extremely destructive and has been strongly linked to deep depression and anxiety. In fact a The UK's biggest ever online test into stress, undertaken by the BBC's Lab UK and the University of Liverpool, has revealed that rumination is the biggest predictor of the most common mental health problems in the country.The tricky thing is that worry and rumination can seem essential part of coping effectively. The idea of letting go of rumination and worry can be frightening. The ironic thing is that rumination tends to increase anxiety and effectiveness in problem solving goes down as anxiety increases.In addition a mind that ruminates becomes more likely to continue to do it. We have talked on the show about how we create pathways in our brain that become every easier to fall into the more reengage them. This is not a fanciful idea or silly positive thinking. Neurosccience has something called Hebbs Law. The phrase, “neurons that fire together wire together” The meaning of Hebb’s axiom is that each experience we encounter, including our feelings, thoughts, sensations, and muscle actions becomes embedded in the network of brain cells, that produce that experience. Each time you repeat a particular thought or action, you strengthen the connection between a set of brain cells or neurons.Think of it like taking a walk in the woods. Your thoughts are like hikers. The first hiker has to blaze her own trail. But over subsequent trips a trail gets worn in to the ground and more and more hikers will take that trail. The more hikers that take the trail the clearer it becomes and the more likely that future hikers will take it. It takes much more energy to go off the trail. Our brains work the same way, there is a need to conserve energy. Our brains use about 25% of the body’s total energy so the brain is going to default to the neural circuits that take less energy.So it’s important to determine whether we are ruminating or problem solving. If the thinking does not lead to a course of action within a reasonable period it is probably rumination.Back to my story above, the first few minutes while I thought about the situation and came up with a plan of action was useful self- reflection and problem solving. Everything after that was useless rumination.in our interview with Dan Harris he talks about the difference between useless rumination and what he calls constructive anguish . The question he asks himself is “Is this useful?” If it doesn’t lead to meaningful effective action then it is useless rumination.If we are ruminating the most important thing is to come to a hard stop. As soon as the ruminative thought begins – that one that doesn’t lead to new insights but is the same path – you immediately have to distract yourself with something that requires concentration. The key at this point is to stop the cycle. We have to stop the brain cold, we need to stay off the path. So anything that distracts us and requires concentration will work. Play a game, solve a puzzle, anything is better than the rumination.So a quick summary, brooding is the process of playing negative thoughts and emotions over and over. It is also extremely destructive. It is a key indicator of depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and heat disease. We need to interrupt the brooding as soon as it begins. The best way to do this is to immediately switch the brain to something that requires concentration.Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Kino MacGregorStrand of OaksMike Scott of the WaterboysTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Mini Episode- The Power of Appreciation

Mini Episode- The Power of Appreciation

[powerpress]  We all know that gratitude and appreciation are important but we need to actually do them for the benefit to occur.  Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Kino MacGregorStrand of OaksMike Scott of the WaterboysTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Feb 20157min

Gabriele Oettingen

Gabriele Oettingen

This week we talk to Gabriele Oettingen about rethinking positive thinking.Gabriele Oettingen is a Professor of Psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. She is the author of more than a 100 articles and book chapters on thinking about the future and the control of cognition, emotion, and behavior. She received her Ph.D. from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology in Seewiesen, Germany.Her major contribution to the field is research on the perils of positive thinking and on Mental Contrasting, a self-regulation technique that is effective for mastering one’s everyday life and long-term development. Gabriele Oettingen’s work is published in social and personality psychology, developmental and educational psychology, in health and clinical psychology, in organizational and consumer psychology, as well as in neuropsychological and medical journals. Her findings contribute to the burgeoning literature on life style change and businesses and institutions have increasingly become interested in the application of her research.Her first trade book, RETHINKING POSITIVE THINKING: Inside the New Science of Motivation was published in October 2014. In This Interview Gabriele and I Discuss...The One You Feed parable.How positive thinking can lead to worse results.How just fantasizing makes it less likely that those fantasies come true.What mental contrasting is.Using mental contrasting to increase your likelihood of success.How envisioning our obstacles can make us more likely to achieve the goals.What implementation intention is and how to use it in your life.The WOOP method- Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan.Using WOOP to bring about success in our lives.How WOOP works on the unconscious mind.Eric gets WOOP'ed.Gabriele Oettingen LinksWoop Main SiteRethinking Positive Thinking BookGabrielle Oettingen Homepage  Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Dan HarrisTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 Jan 201552min

Mini Episode: Decision Fatigue and the Power of Routines

Mini Episode: Decision Fatigue and the Power of Routines

Routines don't drain us, they strengthen us when used correctly. Deciding what to do all the time wears us out and saps out strength.  Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Kino MacGregorStrand of OaksMike Scott of the WaterboysTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Jan 20159min

Alex Cornell

Alex Cornell

This week we talk to Alex Cornell about overcoming creative blocks.Alex Cornell is an interface designer, filmmaker, and periodic musician. He lives in San Francisco and is currently working at Moonbase. He released a book in 2012 called Breakthrough that is a collection of ideas on how to break through creative block.  He cofounded Firespotter Labs. and one of his creative projects was featured on the front page of the Wall Street journal. In This Interview Alex and I Discuss...The One You Feed parable.Using comparison as a tool."Getting burnt by other people's work".How his moods are highly correlated to his creative output.Creating instead of consuming.The importance of recharging and taking breaks during the day.Finding multiple outlets for creativity.How to remain motivated over time.Tying your work into a larger purpose.Finding meaning and value in your life where you are.Using other artists "spell books"A lot of the creative process is not visible to the naked eye.There are no easy fixes for creative blocks.Alex Cornell LinksAlex Cornell HomepageAlex Cornell on TwitterAlex Cornell on FacebookAlex Cornell on YouTube Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Dan HarrisTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21 Jan 201539min

Mini Episode: The Parable of the Farmer and the Horse

Mini Episode: The Parable of the Farmer and the Horse

Today we discuss another parable and talk about learning to live with equanimity.  Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:Kino MacGregorStrand of OaksMike Scott of the WaterboysTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 Jan 20158min

Susan Piver

Susan Piver

This week we talk to Susan PiverSusan Piver is a Buddhist teacher and the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including The Hard Questions and the award-winning How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life. Her latest book is entitled The Wisdom of a Broken Heart.Her eighth book, Start Here Now: A Guide to the Path and Practice of Meditation will be published this year.She is also the creator of the innovative Open Heart project, an online community to help deepen your meditation practice In This Interview Susan and I Discuss...The One You Feed parable.How everything is possible.Having an indestructible presence.The positive thinking police.How do you know when you have felt an emotion enough.Her strange friend, depression.The difference between feeling and wallowing.Depression is when nothing means anything, sadness is when everything has meaning.The difference between our feelings and our interpretation of that feeling.Feel the feeling and drop the storyline.Basic GoodnessWhether the Universe is a friendly place.Taking responsibility of our own experience.How the moment to moment commitment to watch our thoughts can cut delusion.How wisdom and compassion are inseparable. Dealing with fear.Not being afraid of ourselves or our feelings.A courageous person is not afraid of their feelings.Susan Piver LinksSusan Piver HomepageThe Open Heart ProjectSusan Piver on FacebookSusan Piver on TwitterSusan Piver Amazon Author Page Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:James ClearSrini PillayDan HarrisTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Jan 201548min

Mini Episode- Knowledge Versus Action

Mini Episode- Knowledge Versus Action

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Jan 20155min

Gregg Swanson

Gregg Swanson

This week we talk to Gregg Swanson about the warrior mindsetGregg Swanson is a leading, physical, emotional,  spiritual and mental strength coach and expert. He has authored several books and over 100 articles on these subjects. His life defining moment came in June of 1998 when he survived a horrific avalanche while descending from the top of Mt. Rainier. In This Interview Gregg and I Discuss...The OneYou Feed parable.The meaning of a warrior.The warrior mindset.Mental strength versus mental toughness.Mental strength cannot be developed by reading about it.Mental strength is not coming in 1st, it's finishing what you start.Changing course when things are not working.The main blocks to developing mental strength.NLP and Hypnosis.The difference between your conscious and unconscious mind.Surviving an avalanche on Mt. Ranier.Using shamanism to get in contact with your unconscious mind.High Mental Resistance and Low Mental Support.The Complacent Zone.Overcoming mental resistance.How leaders take responsibility for all of their results.The difference between a leader and a victim.Gregg Swanson LinksGregg Swanson HomepageGregg Swanson Amazon Author PageGregg Swanson TwitterWarrior Mind Coaching on Facebook Some of our most popular interviews that you might also enjoy:James ClearSrini PillayDan HarrisTodd Henry- author of Die EmptyRandy Scott HydeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Jan 201539min

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