When life stresses you out, there is a method to help mitigate those negative thoughts.
You might have heard of the "white bear" problem used in psychology before. It says that “attempts to suppress certain thoughts can actually increase their frequency.”
- The idea is that when task yourself to not think of a polar bear, pretty much all you’re going to do is think about a polar bear.
- In real life, this could be exemplified as going into a meeting with the consistent thought "Don't be nervous" but by thinking of not being nervous you only make yourself more nervous.
So, how do you conquer your white bears in life – aka all of those negative thoughts? The key is to recognize this: “While you don't have control over the thoughts that enter your mind, you do have control over how long you dwell on those thoughts.” There’s where you bring in a blue dolphin.
- A blue dolphin is described as a replacement thought. It's a "go-to," that you can immediately switch your focus on when that white bear pops up.
- When the thought, "Don't get nervous" comes to mind, instead tell yourself: "I'm so excited. This is going to go great.”
- It’s a way to transform your negative nervous energy into something more positive.
Remember, there’s no way to avoid white bears from appearing but the blue dolphin ensures that it doesn’t stick around for long.
Source: inc
Photo: Getty Images