The most reliable way out of a negative spiral rarely begins with more thought. Psychologists who study mood recovery have found something closer to the opposite works better in the moment a spiral is active. It’s called behavioral activation, and the premise is straightforward: change the behavior first, and the mood tends to follow, rather than waiting for the mood to lift before acting. Psychologists have a name for what it usually is instead: rumination, or repetitive, self-focused dwelling on a negative mood. Approached this way, reflection clarifies a problem rather than circling it.