When you stop trying to control unwanted thoughts and emotions, they stop controlling you. Studies of brain activation confirm that as soon as you give participants permission to express a thought they were trying to suppress, that thought becomes less primed and less likely to intrude into conscious awareness. Paradoxically, permission to think a thought reduces the likelihood of thinking it.
This solution turns out to be useful for a surprisingly wide range of unwanted inner experiences. The willingness to think what you think and feel what you feel – without necessarily believing that it is true, and without feeling compelled to act on it – is an effective strategy for treating anxiety, depression, food cravings, and addiction.
The Willpower Instinct: how self-control works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it
by Kelly McGonigal
http://kellymcgonigal.com
The Willpower Instinct
http://kellymcgonigal.com/willpowerinstinct/
” **** out of four.” – USA Today Book Review
“The Willpower Instinct is a new kind of self-help book. Using science to explain the why and strategies for the how, McGonigal has created a must-read for anyone who wants to change how they live in both small and big ways.” – Book Page
“A fun and readable survey of the field, bringing willpower wisdom out of the labs.” – TIME magazine
“The Willpower Instinct combines the braininess of a Malcolm Gladwell bestseller with the actual helpfulness of an Idiots’ Guide to not being lazy.
If you are trying to lose weight, train for an athletic event, become more successful at work, rid yourself of toxic habits…heck, if you’re HUMAN, you need to read this book.” – Library Thing