Traditionally understood as repeatedly thinking about past experiences, in the thought literacy framework, rumination is defined as revisiting past situations without processing the thoughts associated with them. Someone might replay conversations, dwell on mistakes, or repeatedly ask why something happened without reaching a new understanding or identifying what they can learn from the experience.

• Short definition: Repeatedly revisiting past situations without processing the thoughts associated with them.
• Example: Joe is trying to sleep but he can’t stop thinking about how he tripped in front of a cute guy the other day. The more he tries to ignore the thought the stronger the visualization of him tripping gets.
• Cite: Thought Literacy Institute. (n.d.). Rumination. In Thought literacy core concepts. Retrieved [enter date], from https://thoughtliteracy.org/rumination/
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• Related Terms: overthinking, thought processing, thought awareness, thought management