Ruminate

Today I am grateful for wise and reasonable Minnesota winter drivers and for silence on my commutes yesterday, to help calm and center me.

You could say I like to RUMINATE. I certainly have practiced it plenty over the years. Going over something in my mind repeatedly, turning it over, magnifying it. Getting stuck on it. When it is a negative thought or emotion I am ruminating over, or a situation I can't change, it does tend to wear me down and become counterproductive.

I can ruminate myself right in to a bigger problem than I had initially. This kind of ruminating will puncture peace of mind in a hurry.

But here's the thing-typically if I have peace of mind, I also have peace of thoughts, and a kinder, gentler version of rumination is taking place. This rumination is more about reflecting and contemplating. And this healthier thought process can actually lead to solutions, to inspiration, to clarity.

Take a lesson from cows and other ruminant animals. Good things can come from ruminating-milk for instance. To keep the milk from souring though, it's best to not overdo the thinking.