You Can't Suppress Your Thoughts! Do This Instead | #shorts

Here’s why we can’t suppress our thoughts…
In the famous “White Bear” experiment of 1987, Harvard professor Daniel Wegner and his colleagues asked a group of students to verbalise their stream of consciousness for a 5 minute period and were asked to try not to think of a white bear, but to ring a bell in case they did.

Guess what happened…

They were ALL RINGING THEIR BELLS!

In fact, those who were told ‘NOT’ TO THINK of the white bear THOUGHT OF IT MORE than those who were just told TO THINK of a white bear. 

What this study tells us is that it’s impossible to suppress thoughts.

You can’t actively not think about something by telling yourself not to think about it.

However, this is what many people still try to do - they try to stop overthinking by telling themselves not to think about whatever they’re thinking about.

Go figure - it doesn’t work, and in fact only leads you to overthink and ruminate even more.
Completely counter-intuitive.

So if suppression doesn’t work, what do we do? THE OPPOSITE! 

Acknowledge your thoughts. Offer them an outlet.

And one of the most effective techniques is journaling.

Grab a notebook + pen, and journal responses to these prompts:

1️⃣ What’s on my mind?
2️⃣ What am I worried about?
3️⃣ Why am I worried about that?
4️⃣ Is this a realistic concern to have? What are other possible outcomes?
5️⃣ What can I do to increase my chances of a more positive outcome?
6️⃣ What action will I take?

Have you had an experience with journaling? How was it? Share in the comments.👇
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[vexcarius]

Just a tip. To remove a picture or thought in your mind, just say cancel inside your head. The thought will start to disappear. You may also try imagining crumpling the image inside your head then imagine grabbing it and throwing it inside a trash bin.

This technique was taught to me by a friend and it saved me in my lowest moment of life and not commit suicide.

The picture and voices in your head affects your emotion. If you alter the picture and thoughts, the emotion follows.

[homayrafaruque]

Journaling actually helps. It helped me a lot

[amarachukwuokolie]

Now I understand why I always feel so overwhelmed when I tried to tell myself not to think and the thoughts just overwhelm me

[sameerqureshi-khcc]

Shade'! People like you have the guts to make this world a better place 🙂👍

[stevehall]

This is perfect Shadé. Exactly what I needed to hear. I’m starting this today! Thank you ❤

[henrikohm]

Love how you state theory and follow up with practice and solutions. Very valuable so 🙏

[tds]

Being an overthinker I always articulate my thoughts and just simply jot down in my phone itself nd is highly effective!

[pacificviews]

Yes well explained & journaling solution given is very important. It helps.🙏

[chrisbelvedere]

I can absolutely stop thinking about something just by telling myself to stop thinking about that something.

[abbasjavaid]

Always liked your videos, so much to learn, respect for you..

[KristinaLeeJones]

I do. On a separate note… I love your dress!!!

[Karthik-oqri]

Thank you ma'am...I needed this.. it helped me a lot..

[tajammulgul]

Thanks, you're such a great help

[AN-jpfu]

Makes sense - if you put out a sign of a wet paint - DO NOT TOUCH THE WET PAINT - chances are people will touch it. There is a rule in law of attraction and its very helpful and its called 'What you resist, persists'. People who are trying to quit bad habits shouldn't say ' i am not going to do this anymore' rather should say ' i am going to do this' (which is replaced habit)

[gamotronix_sakib]

I feel like I owe you something ☺️
Thank you

[lavatr]

sometimes i literally have a blank mind....

in really important situations...like talking to a person/interview

[sim_]

I can deliberately stop thinking if I want to

[kevink]

great advice for women. really helps them. Journaling and yoga seems to be a great way calm, control and order thoughts, through a physical action.
But as a man I have never struggled with this.

[muthuselvan]

We can actually use this to our advantage, when we get negative thoughts, we can try not to think about a random object and our mind will think of it and get off the negative thought

[suryabond]

your smile is so distractive that i cant hear what u say
thank u for all the tips u give help a lot❤