Stop Sign

One of the tools I use in my day to day life is visualization.

Whenever I find myself in a circular thought pattern worrying over something and repeating the thought on automatic pilot, I have to find a way to break out of the loop. A simple tool is to visualize a stop sign. Everyone in this country knows what a stop sign looks like. It's a big octagon with a deep red background and white lettering surrounded by a thick white border.

Take a moment and visualize--close your eyes and think about a stop sign until your mind's eye brings up the image. Hold it there for a few seconds. This is an easy thing to do. It only takes a second, but it sends a clear message down to the subconscious that it needs to cease it's current operations and get back to normal and productive business.

Try it the next time you find yourself enmeshed in unproductive thought. Put up the stop sign and think of something else. Within a few seconds your brain will probably bring the cycle of negative thoughts back, but you can respond with another stop sign. Keep doing this until the subconscious gets the hint and puts that thought pattern away.

This is a simple way to train your brain to behave.