BUCKLE UP
YOUR REPEATING PATTERN
RESULTS ARE IN…
Looks like your partner in crime is…
THE RUMINATOR
“You think deeply, feel a lot and genuinely want to make the right choices. Your mind is always busy — turning things over, checking for risks, scanning for clarity. But that thoughtful nature can sometimes trap you in a loop: stuck between “what ifs” and “should haves” searching for certainty that never quite arrives.”
Let’s be real though - this isn’t a flaw, its an adaption.
This part of you formed for a reason. It’s helped you cope, stay safe and make it through life when things got overwhelming.
It’s not broken — it’s brilliant and it’s probably a bit tired too.
How this pattern shows up
When emotions get big or decisions feel loaded, The Ruminator kicks in to help you think your way through it.
You might:
Replay conversations on a loop, wondering what you should’ve said
Struggle to make decisions without second-guessing yourself
Get caught in spirals of worry, doubt or imagined scenarios
Delay taking action because you “just need to think it through more”
Feel exhausted by your own inner dialogue — but can’t seem to shut it off
It’s not that you’re indecisive — you’re trying to get it right, so you don’t get hurt.
What it’s trying to protect?
The Ruminator wants to keep you safe — from failure, regret or emotional pain. It believes if you just think hard enough and for long enough, you can avoid making the wrong move.
It’s protecting you from:
Making a mistake you’ll regret
Feeling embarrassed, rejected or exposed
Facing a truth you’re not ready for
Feeling your way through something that can’t be solved with logic
It’s trying to control the outcome by mastering the input (but unfortunately life rarely works that way.)
The superpower behind the pattern
Your Ruminator side brings real strengths, when it’s in balance.
You offer:
Depth, insight and reflection that others often miss
A strong sense of responsibility and thoughtfulness
The ability to hold complexity and sit with questions
Genuine care about doing right by yourself and others
A mind that notices nuance and detail
You’re not overthinking because you don’t care — you’re overthinking because you care so much.
How it might be holding you back
When this pattern takes over, it can:
Create anxiety, self-doubt and emotional paralysis
Delay action and block momentum
Disconnect you from your gut and your body
Stop you from experiencing the present moment
Lead to burnout — mental, emotional and even physical
You don’t need more information. You need more trust.
How to work with it differently
This isn’t about turning your brain off. It’s about creating enough space to hear the wisdom underneath the noise.
Try this:
Notice when the spiral starts. Where do you feel it — in your chest? jaw? gut?
Name the pattern. “Ah, here’s The Ruminator trying to keep me safe.”
Interrupt the loop. Get up. Move. Breathe. Shake something loose.
Tune in to your body. What do you feel or need — beneath the thinking?
Choose something imperfect. Take one step. Let it be messy. Clarity often comes after the action.
Thinking won’t always solve it. Sometimes it’s the pause — or the leap — that shifts everything.
Hmm… doesn’t feel quite right?
All good. These patterns aren’t boxes. If this one missed the mark, check out the others — one might land better.
