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Unlocking Your Subconscious Mind: A Guide to Problem-Solving

Discover the untapped power of your subconscious mind to solve problems. learn effective techniques, to enhance creativity and find solutions effortlessly.

Our conscious minds often take center stage in problem solving, but the vast potential of the subconscious mind is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. In this exploration of subconscious problem solving, I draw insights from personal experiences, including my first sleep story related to problem solving, and share techniques applicable to anyone seeking personal growth and development.

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The Power of Sleep

There is profound wisdom in the adage "sleep on it," as my personal story illustrates. About eight years ago, while immersed in programming a game and grappling with the intricacies of the A* algorithm, I found myself in a 20-hour struggle. Determined to solve the problem, I vowed not to sleep until success was achieved. However, fatigue took its toll and I fell asleep in despair.

The next day brought an unexpected epiphany. When I awoke, the solution unfolded effortlessly and the code fell seamlessly into place. This experience sparked a quest to understand the role of the subconscious mind in problem-solving and paved the way for incorporating unconventional yet effective methods into my personal and professional life.

The power of sleep transcends professional boundaries and speaks to anyone seeking personal growth and development. When faced with a challenging problem or life decision, allowing the mind to process information during sleep can lead to new perspectives and unexpected solutions. It's not just us developers who can benefit from an eight-hour night of problem-solving; it's a universal phenomenon waiting to be harnessed.

To use sleep for problem-solving with the subconscious mind, you can try "thought dumping" before sleep by writing down specific questions or goals to be solved and then allowing the subconscious mind to work on them while you sleep. When you wake up, you can freely review your thoughts and feelings to see if any solutions or insights have emerged. I personally support this approach with white noise, such as the sound of the ocean.

Short-Term Distraction

For urgent matters or those seeking instant breakthroughs, short-term distraction becomes a versatile tool. Imagine you're grappling with a decision about your future – should you change careers or pursue a new passion? Instead of fixating on the dilemma, engage in a mundane task for a couple of hours.

You can simply start doing any kind of mildly stimulating activity, such as taking a walk or doing something physical, to allow the subconscious mind to take control of the information-processing function. This period in which the subconscious mind is allowed to take over information processing without conscious thought is commonly referred to as the incubation period . After the incubation period, take a blank piece of paper and start writing the first thing that comes to mind as quickly as possible. Trusting intuition and embracing positivity through affirmations further enhances this process.

Mull It Over

When time permits, deliberately giving the subconscious space to breathe becomes an inclusive strategy. Consider the everyday challenge of making a significant purchase, like a home appliance. Instead of immediately diving into the details and reviews, take a step back. Let your subconscious percolate ideas and thoughts as you focus on other aspects of your life. When you return to the decision, your choices will be solid and well-considered.

This approach is applicable to individuals from all walks of life, fostering well-considered solutions for personal and everyday challenges alike.

Diverse Brain-stilling Techniques

The practice of brain-stilling is a multifaceted approach to tapping into the subconscious mind. By focusing on a specific problem, opening the mind to relevant cues, and incorporating moments of silence and meditation, individuals of all backgrounds can unlock insights that seem to come from nowhere.

By embracing the power of the subconscious, we embark on a journey that transcends job titles and industry boundaries. Whether you are a developer, an artist, a student, or anyone seeking personal growth, the secrets of the subconscious mind are accessible to all. Awaken your mind, harness its latent potential, and experience the transformative impact on your path to personal growth and innovative problem-solving.

Engaging the subconscious mind in problem-solving can be a powerful approach. Here are some brain-stilling techniques to help facilitate this process:

Meditation:

Practice mindfulness meditation to calm the mind and create a receptive state for insights.

Focus on your breath or a mantra to bring your attention away from the problem temporarily.

Visualization:

Imagine the problem as a tangible object or scenario. Allow your mind to explore different perspectives and solutions visually.

Picture a positive outcome, reinforcing your belief that a solution is possible.

Dream Journaling:

Keep a journal by your bedside and record your dreams. Dreams often tap into the subconscious mind and can provide creative solutions.

Deep Breathing:

Perform deep-breathing exercises to trigger the relaxation response, reducing stress and allowing the subconscious to surface.

Inhale deeply for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four. Repeat as needed.

Free Writing:

Set aside a specific time to write without any specific goal. Let your thoughts flow freely onto paper, allowing your subconscious to reveal insights.

Positive Affirmations:

Use positive affirmations related to problem-solving. Repeat statements that affirm your ability to find solutions, reinforcing a positive mindset.

Nature Walks:

Spend time in nature to clear your mind. The tranquility of natural surroundings can help quiet the conscious mind, allowing the subconscious to contribute.

Creative Activities:

Engage in activities that stimulate creativity, such as drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument. Creative expression can tap into the subconscious mind and ideas or solutions appear to come out of nowhere.

Sleep on It:

Take a break from actively thinking about the problem. Sleep has been shown to enhance problem-solving abilities, allowing the subconscious to process information.

Mindful Movement:

Practice gentle, mindful movements like yoga, qigong or tai chi. This can help calm the mind while promoting a mind-body connection.

Brainwave Entrainment:

Listen to binaural beats or other forms of brainwave entrainment, which may help shift your brain into a more relaxed and creative state.

Hypnosis or Self-Hypnosis:

Explore guided hypnosis or self-hypnosis sessions to access deeper layers of the mind and encourage problem-solving insights.

I will be writing a series of articles about the mind and how to use its full potential for various purposes, exploring some practices and sharing my experiences with you. Let me know in the comments which ones you would like to learn more about.

Leave a comment

I hope you learned something new to improve your lifestyle and well-being. Feel free to DM me with any questions or to share your story. I look forward to your feedback and am happy to be a part of your journey.

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The Science Behind Why You Should Switch Off Your Thinking Brain to Spark Creativity and Smart Decisions

Not always.

Eurekas are hardly ever discovered that deliberately. If a solution is outside of your brain’s familiar experience — which is shaped by your beliefs, culture, and biases — your conscious mind will most likely never find it. An analytical search for a solution can comb through the entire content of your mind’s “known” but not outside of it. Novel answers reside outside of your mind’s known box.

When you allow your brain to integrate new information with existing knowledge on a subconscious level, it can establish new connections and see patterns not obvious to your conscious mind. Creative solutions and ideas are more likely to bubble up from a brain that applies unconscious thought to a problem, rather than going at it in a deliberate approach with your frontal lobe. When your thinking brain is active and inundated with information, it doesn’t have the opportunity to connect concepts or make creative leaps.

Science shows that your brain’s resting-state circuitry, called the default mode network (DMN) — which is activated when you stop thinking about something specific and just veg out — is the best place to park a problem. In the DMN, your brain does some of its best, wisest, and most creative work.

More Information Is Not Always Better

There is an implicit belief in our society that more information is better.  According to economic theory, more information is always better unless the cost of acquiring further information exceeds the anticipated gain from it. Economists do concede and make the exception that more is not always better when the information isn’t free. This rule may work for economics, but in your brain, more information and thinking is not always better, for several reasons.

Your brain doesn’t like too much information.

Research  indicates that people like to have choices when faced with making a decision. However, if they are given too many choices, they feel less happy about their decision and are less satisfied with the decision-making process itself. One study showed that as people received more information, activity increased in the region of the brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving,  and control of emotions, the prefrontal cortex. However, when the load became too much it was as though a breaker in the brain was tripped and the prefrontal cortex just shut down.

Your working memory is limited.  

Even though the brain can store virtually limitless amounts of information in long-term memory, you can only keep a limited amount of information in short-term (STM) memory at one time. Research shows that the average span is 7.3 for letters and  9.3 for numbers. Information stays in STM  between 15 and 30 seconds.   Then, it is either attended to by working memory or discarded. 

You learn better with spaced sessions than with contiguous practice.

You probably know from experience and science  confirms that your brain performs better if you take in information in chunks with regular breaks rather than trying to cram everything into one long session. Your brain needs downtime to consolidate the incoming information before you can use it effectively. Studies show that napping can improve memory and creative problem-solving .

Why Your Unconscious Brain May Have The Answer

Research suggests that thinking about an issue too methodically is often a detriment to problem-solving because your brain actually blocks potential solutions from registering into consciousness through a phenomenon known as cognitive inhibition .  Basically, your mind tunes out any information it deems not relevant to the issue you are focusing on. But, the answer may reside in that extraneous info.

Mark Beeman Ph.D., a cognitive neuroscientist at Northwestern University, and John Kounios Ph.D.,  a professor of psychology at Drexel University, have been studying problem-solving anbd “Aha moments”. In the report,  The Aha! Moment, The Cognitive Neuroscience of Insight, they write:

A sudden comprehension that solves a problem, reinterprets a situation, explains a joke, or resolves an ambiguous percept is called an insight (i.e., the ‘‘Aha! moment’’). Psychologists have studied insight using behavioral methods for nearly a century. Recently, the tools of cognitive neuroscience have been applied to this phenomenon. A series of studies have used electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the neural correlates of the ‘‘Aha! moment’’ and its antecedents. Although the experience of insight is sudden and can seem disconnected from the immediately preceding thought, these studies show that insight is the culmination of a series of brain states and processes operating at different time scales. Elucidation of these precursors suggests interventional opportunities for the facilitation of insight.”

The article, The Meaning (and Science)  Behind Those Life Changing, Transformation Aha Moments , explained it this way:

‘It’s a bit like trying to look at a dim star,’ Beeman says. ‘You have to turn your head and spy it out of the corner of your eye; if you look at it directly, it disappears.’ In lab experiments, subjects who are given a brainteaser and sleep on the problem or otherwise back away from it are usually more likely to solve it than if they just keep pounding away.”

Timing is critical when it comes to putting your problem-solving subconscious mind to work for you. If you stay in the deliberate mode of thinking too long, you can inhibit possible solutions from emerging.  However, if you back off of a problem too soon, before you have all the puzzle pieces, your brain doesn’t have the information it needs to come up with an answer. The trick is to know how much time to spend concentrating on a problem and when to ease off and let your subconscious brain do the heavy lifting.

The Default Mode Network

Research  shows that there’s a predictable pattern of neurological activity that’s your brain’s go-to state when it’s at rest, not focused on anything in particular, or actively engaging with its environment. This resting state of your brain is called the  default mode network (DMN). Ruminating and worrying take place in the DMN.

Science discovered the DMN using fMRI studies where people were asked to lay in the scanner with no specific thinking assignment. The DMN refers to the “internal mode of cognition,” which is a very abstract concept.  One  study  provided empirical support that the DMN is one of the most abstract networks in your brain.

Research shows that the harder and more cognitively demanding a particular task is, the less the DMN is activated. Decreased activation of the DMN can also be brought about by mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation . Specifically, researchers who examined brain activation during meditation using functional MRI, found decreased activation of regions related to the DMN . The researchers also suggested that meditation training can increase the synchronization of activation between DMN regions that are related to the awareness of the ‘self’.

5 Common Causes of Brain Fog

6 Ways Music Gives Your Brain a Big Boost

Related posts, proven ways to reduce the damaging effects of chronic stress, 14 free ways to help your brain find happiness right now, the surprising difference between the mind and brain, 10 comments.

So interesting Debbie. I remember reading that Eddison used to take frequent naps so that his subconscious would help him reach the solutions he needed.

And Napoleon Hill, when he couldn’t come up with the title for his Book…Think and Grow Rich…went to bed each night instructing his subconscious to come up with the ideal title…and one night…it did exactly that. And the rest is history! 🙂

Neat examples, Elle. I’ll do that a lot too. I’ll tell my brain a question or situation to ponder over night. It works sometimes! 🙂

Being an analytical person, it took me a while to learn the lessons from this article. In the past, I used to dwell on ‘pro’s and con’s’ lists and the like and usually didn’t make the best decisions. Now, I gather as much information as I can, sit with the question in meditation and see what my body or heart tells me, then sleep on it, asking my subconscious to work on it. Then I would have an ‘aha!’ moment sometime later, just like you’ve described.

We’ll never fully understand the mysteries of how our brains work. The more we understand our inability to control the process and work with what is, the better our decisions and lives will be.

Thanks for the insight, Paige. I too have learned not to try to hammer a decision to death and just let it come to me. Works much better! 🙂

This is fascinating, Debbie. It validates the importance of paying attention to our gut, our instinct, our intuition.

Yes. Indeed, it does, Sandra. 🙂

Apparently Vitamin B12 helps the subconscious mind with lucid dreaming. Just something to think about as far as creativity goes. 😛

Good to know! Thanks. 🙂

Thanks, Debbie! Just came on your blog today looking for resources for K-12 teachers who’re offering mindfulness in schools, and was very glad to read your cogent writing. Thank you, I will follow you from now on!

Thanks, Betsy. I’m glad you found my website helpful! 🙂

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Picking our brains: How powerful is the subconscious?

By Kate Douglas

30 March 2010

The conscious mind is not free

(Image: I am doing photo-art/Flickr/Getty)

SUBCONSCIOUS thought is the brain’s dumb autopilot – the chump behind repetitive tasks, Freudian slips and all the other things we do “without thinking”. That was certainly the prevailing view in the 20th century, but the subconscious has lately gone up in the world. It takes centre stage in creativity, puts the “eureka!” into problem-solving, plays a crucial role in learning and memory, and it’s even better at making tough decisions than rational analysis is ( New Scientist , 1 December 2007, p 42).

It was in the 1980s that the late neuroscientist Benjamin Libet saw a spark of brain activity 300 milliseconds before subjects consciously chose to twitch a finger. We now know the unconscious decision happens even earlier. In 2008, John-Dylan Haynes at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience in Berlin, Germany, found brain activity up to 10 seconds before a conscious decision to move ( Nature Neuroscience , vol 11, p 543 ).

Stanislas Dehaene, director of the Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit at INSERM, France, has elegantly revealed the subtle interplay between subconscious and conscious thought. In his experiment, volunteers saw a word flashed onto a screen, followed almost immediately by a picture, which masks conscious perception of the word. As the time interval between the two increases, the word suddenly pops into consciousness – accompanied by characteristic activity on a brain scan. This usually happened when the interval reached around 50 milliseconds, but when emotional words such as “love” or “fear” were used, it happened a few milliseconds earlier. It is as though the decision about the word’s…

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Mindfulness

Instantly unlock the mind's power to solve your problems, your mind is powerful enough to get you out of any "box" that confines you..

Posted November 16, 2020

• What Is Mindfulness?
• Find a mindfulness-based therapist

Have you ever been stuck on a problem? Have you experienced your mind running in endless circles, unable to find an answer? If you've felt yourself mired in an apparently unsolvable problem, you're not alone. At one time or another, everyone has been stuck in a rut, defeated by old mental concepts, rigid belief systems, and toxic conditioning or habits. Any of these can keep you in arm's reach from a solution.

Fortunately, your mind has a potent ally: The ability of mindfulness to help you tap new and fresh ideas.

Before I explain three great mindfulness strategies for opening the doors of the mind, I'd like to share a quote that I read recently.

"The infinite library of the universe is in your own mind." — Vivekananda, teacher

How wonderful to think that the mind can access an infinite library of possibilities. As you'll see, anyone can overcome those fixed mindsets and limiting beliefs that cause conflict, fatigue and burnout .

Here are three key mindfulness strategies to tap the infinite library of your mind and get creative.

1. Open Your Mindset and Let Go a Belief in Limitations.

A belief in limits, for example, can make it hard to find novel ways to approach almost anything. One famous example of a fixed limit long held to be true was that “it’s physically impossible for a human being to run the mile in under four minutes,” (a widely held belief until Roger Bannister did otherwise).

Let's look at an example of a pre-cognitive, or fixed, mindset. Mindfulness researcher Ellen J. Langer once conducted a study, as described in the book Mindfulness , in which a woman pretended to have sprained her knee, just outside a pharmacy. When passers-by stopped to help, the woman asked if that person could go into the pharmacy and get her an Ace Bandage. The pharmacy, which was in on the study, had removed all the Ace Bandage branded items. There were still bandages available, but no Ace Bandages. Most people came out of the store empty-handed because they were fixed on the pre-cognitive mindset of thinking that only an Ace Bandage would do the job. That's why one of the hallmarks of mindlessness is being unable to be adaptable and creative.

Creative Strategy for Breaking Out of Fixed Mindsets: Ask New Questions

One example of an unwillingness to see things differently is typified by the worn phrase, “we’ve always done things this way.” A mindfulness approach, however, asks: Why have we always done it this way? Sometimes, just thinking of new questions offers a new approach.

2. Change Your Context and Take a Break

Research shows that subjects in a study who took breaks generated significantly more creative ideas than those who worked continuously. This means take a pause from trying to get a solution. Take lunch away from your desk, and allow your mind to work unconsciously and open up to what your conscious mind can't see.

A shift in context can also be thought of as how we perceive our work. For example, reexamining the type of role you play in terms of how your job benefits society could facilitate recognizing ways to change responsibilities within a business structure or even to switch careers if need be.

Creative Strategy : Change Your Location and Context

Go sit in nature, take a walk, have your lunch in a new location, take a mental break by doing something you enjoy, and let the problem go. Don't worry ... your unconscious mind will still be looking for unique solutions.

3. Harness the Power of Curiosity

When work or relationships feels stale or caught in a cycle of reactivity, what can you do? If you have some fixed expectation about how an employee, partner or others in your life "should" behave, try applying curiosity to the situation. You can get curious instead of getting angry! Imagine how that can shift a relationship. Not surprisingly, it was Einstein who advised, "Never lose a holy curiosity. "

Curiosity is very much used in mindfulness to shift out of one's personal perspective in order to explore a larger viewpoint. With curiosity, you can be more open and alert in the moment. Curiosity has even been used to help those with addiction learn to observe how their cravings change over time.

Creative Strategy : Get Curious About the Situation, Person, or Problem

When you get curious about something you immediately change your stance toward it. You can be more open and understanding as you inquire about why someone behaves as they do. After all, each of us does things that others do not understand! Curiosity also means allowing and accepting . This is an important way of showing respect and regard for others. Keep in mind that as you change your reaction to curiosity, it will change how others respond.

In one sense, we can be grateful for our problems because they can lead us to the doorway through which we can find creative solutions and mindful opportunities. My book, Simply Mindful , offers many suggestions for using mindfulness to open up the mind. Good luck using these three strategies as you use your mind in new, creative ways.

Donald Altman , a psychotherapist and former monk featured in The Mindfulness Movie and Living Spiritual Teachers Project , is the author of the new book, Travelers.

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Unlocking the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

The love, happiness & success podcast with dr. lisa marie bobby.

Music Credits: The Sisters of Mercy, “Marian”

Understanding Your Subconscious Mind 

As a Denver Therapist and Online Personal Growth Expert , unlocking the power of your subconscious mind is a familiar topic that my clients experience growth and understanding through self exploration.

The rumors are true: The latest neuroscience research shows that only about 5% (or less) of our brain power is devoted to conscious, volitional thought . The rest of it is running the show behind the scenes. Not just keeping your body working, but thinking, solving problems, making associations, judging, and leading you to feel.

All of which then eventually leads to your taking action , having reactions, having feelings, or feeling compelled to do certain things…. without ever having made a conscious decision about it. Or, more commonly, your subconscious mind does all the hard work and then hands off the final, finished product to your conscious mind (who thinks they were in charge all along!).

Sometimes this all works out, but other times your subconscious mind can wreak havoc on your life, leading to:

• Feeling frustrated that you can’t follow through with what you intend
• You are experiencing unwanted patterns in your relationships or career 
• Feeling badly and not really knowing why
• You have reactions to people or situations that are creating issues (particularly in your relationships)
• You seem to have hidden obstacles that are holding you back from creating positive change

Without understanding what’s happening to you subconsciously, it’s very difficult to create real and lasting change in your life. 

You can try to make changes, but if your subconscious mind has other motivations…. it’s going to win every time.

• Understanding the Subconscious Mind

A core foundational piece of any high quality personal growth work begins with digging into the subconscious forces inside of you that are influencing the way you feel, think, and behave. Traditional talk therapy, while it does have limitations, is very good at helping you get insight into why you do the things you do. Giving a voice to things you don’t usually consciously consider (much less say out loud) can give you understanding of yourself, and self-awareness of your subconscious .

Often, what emerges is that people have deep-seated, subconscious rules, expectations, assumptions, value-judgments, and emotional triggers that they: 

• Have no idea they’re carrying 
• Are extremely powerful

It’s only by bringing these unseen forces out of the darkness and into your conscious mind that you begin to have power over them. [Learn more: Take our “ What’s Holding You Back ” online quiz]

Discovering Your Subconscious Mind

While developing this type of insight into yourself is essential if your goal is to create change, it’s not enough in and of itself. As I teach to all my therapy and life coaching clients, and in my online Happiness Class — insight alone is not enough to change your life. To make real and lasting change, insight must be coupled with intentional action designed to get you different results. (The domain of any life coach worth their salt!)

However, rushing into action without first understanding the other, deeper forces at work inside of you creates the dynamic where you try to make changes, and then fail. This all-action-insight-be-damned approach is common among many life coaches who do not have a background in counseling psychology .

But if you take the time and do the work to create self-awareness and insight into aspects of your subconscious mind that are creating problems for you, THEN you can very deliberately, consciously begin working to reprogram your brain , swap outdated ideas for new ones, talk yourself through challenging situations, implement different thinking styles, and support yourself through challenging emotions. [Learn more: Mind hacking: Learn how to reprogram your brain ]

Does it take hard work to learn how to do this? Yes, it does. However, the level of control you have over your outcomes, the shift in the way you feel, and the impact it has on your relationships and your career are enormous and for most people, well worth it.

Let’s Talk. Schedule a Free Consultation Today.

Harnessing the power of the subconscious mind.

Another huge advantage of working to understand your subconscious mind and gaining self-awareness (and self-control) over what’s going on in there is that you develop a newfound sense of trust in your subconscious self.

Whether you know it or not, your beautiful brain is always, A L W A Y S, taking in information, making associations, thinking through problems, evaluating things, and putting things together. If you learn how to trust your subconscious mind, you tap into a wealth of information about the world — not to mention your inner wisdom.

Some call it “intuition,” and some call it “creativity.” I personally think of it as your mind doing what it was built to do: think. It’s just that not all thinking is conscious.

People who are creative or who have jobs that require them to solve problems, design systems, or come up with novel solutions find their work to become immensely more productive when they turn the reins over to their subconscious minds.

How to Unlock the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

Because all of the above is SO vital to anyone serious about personal growth, and creating positive change, I decided to devote a whole episode of the podcast to the subject of how to unlock the power of your subconscious brain. Listen and learn:

• Why high level “solutions” will not be effective until you understand your subconscious self
• Why your subconscious brain can sabotage your relationships and your outcomes
• How to get insight into your subconscious mind
• How to redirect yourself if you have subconscious forces that are causing problems for you
• Ways of harnessing and strengthening the problem-solving abilities of your subconscious
• When to listen to your subconscious…and when to do a “manual override”

All that and more on this edition of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast.

xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

PS: I’ve been recording episodes of the show LIVE on Instagram and Youtube lately. I’m including both the video and the podcast version below for you. Join me next time! Jump in, (most) Mondays at 12pm MT, over on Instagram @drlisamariebobby .

PPS: Do you have questions about this topic? Or another topic for an upcoming show? Leave them in the comments below, or through this confidential form . I’m listening! LMB

Listen & Subscribe to the Podcast

Free, expert advice — for you., subscribe to the love, happiness, and success podcast.

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby: This is Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby. And you’re listening to The Love, Happiness, and Success podcast.

Our musical inspiration for today’s episode comes from The Sisters of Mercy, an old goth band with the classic goth hit called Marian. I thought it was a good song to set us in the mood for our topic today. Because today, we are going to be, once again, driving this golf cart into the darkness together. And talking about the power of your subconscious mind and not just to understand it, but really for the purpose of using it and managing it. And also trusting it so that it doesn’t interfere with your ability to make decisions and create good outcomes for yourself and your life. But also for the purpose of learning how to trust it. 

So that is what we’re doing today on the show just in time for Halloween. I wanted to address this topic specifically for a variety of reasons. But I think the biggest one is that, as you probably know, I get a lot of listener questions, people email and ask about all kinds of things. I welcome that. I mean, that’s really what this show is about is helping you in providing hopefully useful information that supports your journey of growth. So that’s really what I’m doing here. But I have found it interesting that lately, I have a lot of people getting in touch with me asking for advice. But for situations that are often much more complex, and that can’t really be resolved without a high degree of self-awareness and intentional effort. Also, there’s a certain quality to some of them that people feel very powerless. 

Let me give you a couple of examples. Here are a few recent questions that I’ve edited for clarity. A typical one is “Dr. Lisa, why am I having these really frustrating dynamics and communication patterns happening in my relationship over and over again?”, or “Dr. Lisa, how can I get my partner to behave differently?” That’s a fun one. “Dr. Lisa, why do I keep failing to attract and maintain relationships with people who love me back?”, or “Dr. Lisa, how can I stay motivated and on track towards my goals? I feel like I’m sabotaging myself, and I don’t know why.” I’ve also had people ask recently, various ways but the punchline is, “How can I feel better about myself? What’s going on with that?” 

Lastly, and this is starting to pop up more frequently as we approach the holidays. “Dr. Lisa, how can I keep my parents and or in-laws from making me absolutely insane?” People ask these questions, and if you have recently asked a question like that, first of all, thank you. I mean, thank you for getting in touch and letting me know what’s on your mind. But it’s interesting for me because these questions often end with, “Please tell me what to do to fix this love, XYZ.” 

What I wanted to talk about on the show today, particularly as it relates to the subconscious mind, is the fact that in order to really make real and lasting change in any of these kinds of areas, it requires not buying into this myth that I think is very prevalent in our culture, that there is a thing that will change it, or a piece of advice, or one specific practice that is going to really change things for you on its own. 

I think that there is a lot of well-meaning, well-intentioned advice out there. I think I’ve probably been guilty of doing the same. “Three easy steps to create or change your relationship,” or something like that. I think there are a couple of pieces to this. On the one hand, it is absolutely true that doing things differently will give you different results in your relationships and the way that you feel about yourself and the goals that you’re able to attain. It does require action. However, whenever anyone is like, “Okay, I heard about this advice or I read the self-help book, and I’m going to do XYZ. It’s going to change everything for me!” They inevitably fail. 

The reason why is because when people go towards change or incorporating a new idea without doing the core work that’s really necessary on a deeper level, the work that really involves understanding who you are and the power of the subconscious forces inside of you, there are a lot of thoughts and feelings, core beliefs, and judgments that are always happening in a very much outside of our conscious awareness. I think that the real essence of high-quality personal growth work is putting you in contact with that. 

The reason why it’s important is that your subconscious mind is much, much, much more powerful than anything else when it comes to influencing your behavior. If you have not done the work of really understanding what’s going on inside of you subconsciously, and very deliberately get that into alignment with the change that you’re trying to achieve in your life, the change will be unsuccessful. It’s frustrating, and it’s confusing. 

Today, what I really wanted to talk about is that piece that I think often goes undiscussed when we’re talking about personal growth, or making changes in your life because that’s the part that will really move the needle. So let’s back up for just a second. Oh, and first of all, I forgot to mention that I am, also, once again, recording this podcast live on Instagram. I want to take a moment just to say hello to some of the people that have joined me online today. And I’m also streaming this live on Youtube, for better or for worse. So I am once again doing this at noon, Mountain Time on a Monday. 

If anybody would like to join me at any point in the future, I’m going to be doing this most Mondays, I think. Because I’ve really been enjoying the opportunity to talk with people and ask questions in real-time. If any of you guys have questions for me that I can answer, as we go through this today, feel free to jump in. So otherwise, let’s just dive right in to talk more about the subconscious mind and how to understand it, and how to make it work for you. 

So one of the biggest issues is really bringing what is going on inside of you, subconsciously most of the time, into the light. One thing that I think more traditional insight-oriented therapy has is a real advantage in that when people have the opportunity to talk through thoughts and feelings and perspectives and reactions, particularly an emotional nature or if they’re being asked questions about their formative years or experiences that impacted them. That is enormously helpful in bringing the subconscious to light. Because being able to put into words, and when you put things into words, you’re also bringing them into your consciousness about these things that are oftentimes going on inside of you. 

The real beauty of traditional insight-oriented therapy is that through the experiences of talking about yourself to a therapist that’s also asking you questions and helping you think about different aspects of your experience that you hadn’t thought of before, it brings aspects of yourself into conscious awareness that you might not always think about. And that is fantastic. However, I think one of the reasons that I have moved away from that traditional therapy approach over the years is that oftentimes in therapy, that’s where it ends. The goal of therapy can be to develop insight, without then tying it to what to do with that. How do you use this information to create a change? And, as you know, I’m definitely more of an action-oriented person, which is why I’ve really pursued coaching over the last few years. 

However, a huge issue that I often have with typical coaches who do not have the background in psychotherapy and mental health is that they’re often very quick to rush into action. Let’s talk about solutions, and let’s talk about changes, right? They’re absolutely correct because all of the advised solutions and strategies will work if you applied them. But I think the limitation of coaching is that they’re often applying solutions and strategies without going into the foundation of understanding what’s going on inside of people subconsciously, first. When that happens, what is often created, and I think the reason for failure, is that they’re pulled in different directions. Your subconscious frequently has a different agenda for you than your conscious mind does. 

So without uncovering what’s going on subconsciously, in terms of your motivations, or your core needs, or your judgments, or your automatic beliefs, solutions that are advised that are not consistent with that subconscious mind will fail. And lead people to feel extremely frustrated in the process. Because they really feel like they’re doing everything that they can to change their lives and change their circumstances and relationships, but it doesn’t work. Sadly, oftentimes people end up blaming themselves, which is never ideal. 

Anyway, so today what we’re really going to dive into is threefold. First of all, I’d like to talk a little bit about what your subconscious mind actually is. So that you can just have that conceptual understanding of it. Then I’m going to give you a couple of really specific strategies. First of all, some tips and tricks to help make your subconscious mind more conscious. So you can gain that self-awareness that’s so crucial to making change. But we’re also going to be talking about how you can use your subconscious to really help you create change and solve problems and tap into your creative and intuitive mind more easily. Because there’s so much value in being able to do that. 

So, first of all, most of your brain, believe it or not, is running the show behind the scenes. When you’re not actively thinking about things. I’ve heard various numbers thrown about over the years that 20% of your brain is your consciousness and 80% is doing things behind the scenes. I’ve heard it said, 10% of your mind is in your conscious control. Actually what more current research suggests is that it’s more like 5% of your brain, is the brain that we know, the brain that thinks conscious thoughts and makes decisions and has a running commentary that we’re aware of. That is a tiny bit of your brainpower. 

All the rest of it is happening behind the scenes, and it is alert, and it is active, and it’s very fast. For example, your subconscious brain will make judgments about things that you’re not even aware of. It will be kind of comparing your life experiences to the core beliefs that it holds. As a result, it will oftentimes have reactions to things, particularly, emotional reactions, like what we talked about last week but more tied into core values or beliefs that we’re not aware of. Once your subconscious mind is really quickly making those judgments, making decisions, having emotional reactions, then your conscious mind slowly grinds into action. And then it, honestly, usually acts to support whatever your subconscious mind has already decided. 

So in this way, because your subconscious mind is such a major player in the way that you feel and the way that you think, and the way that you rationalize different things that are going on in your mind, it’s really important to be aware of what’s happening. Because your subconscious mind without that awareness will really shape the way, not just like you react in the moment, but over time, it will shape the way that your entire life unfolds. Because your subconscious mind is such a key player in the way that we interact with other people, the way we react to things that happen in our lives, the way that we behave in the moment, and the way that we respond to different situations. Also, in the way that we go about our lives in terms of day-to-day habits. So much of that is controlled by our subconscious. 

Those practices, our reactions, or our behaviors, or habits, or our choices, those are the moments that build the outcomes of our lives. And so it can be kind of troubling to consider that all of that is happening, in some ways, outside of our conscious volition. But the good news is that by learning how to bring more of this into your conscious awareness, that you can have more control over the way that things turn out for you. So that’s the goal, it’s really to learn how to be more intentional, and less reactive. That’s when things can change in a real or lasting way. First of all, I promised a little bit of discussion about the way that your brain works. And this is an honor of not just my therapy and coaching clients, but I know my listeners tend to be very intellectual smarty-pants types, and that you guys value from just an informational, research-based approach. So as a card-carrying nerd, I’m your girl. 

Let’s have a mini biology lesson for a second. So your brain, believe it or not, developed in layers. So at the very most basic, oldest part of your brain, in evolutionary terms, is your brain stem, and your hindbrain. That controls things like heartbeat and respiration, which goes on entirely outside of our mental control. Then after that came the midbrain. This is the part of our brains that we have in common with other mammals. This is really the seat of emotion, the part of your brain that feels things and has emotional reactions is a deeper part of your brain. Then the most recent development when it comes to brains is our cortex and neocortex. This part of your brain is the outermost layer and arguably what makes humans human. This is the part of you that thinks; it envisions, it plans into the future, and it forms thoughts. It puts those thoughts into language. This is the part of our brain that we’re most aware of. 

But in addition to just that, we also have left and right hemispheres of our brains that are equally powerful. But I think in our dominant Western culture, we’ve often prioritized the abilities of the left-hand side of our brain, which tends to be responsible for more analytical, reasoning-type functions, language, formulating coherent thoughts, and also tends to be more internally focused, “I think about what we’re thinking about.” Versus, our right-hand side of our brain, which is more visual, more auditory. It tends to think in pictures. It envisions things. It’s identified as the seat of creativity, a lot of times. It’s more externally focused; taking in information from the outside world. Compared to the left brain, which is more like a linear thought process, like, “if this, then that”. The right hemisphere of your brain tends to be more of a web thinker. So it can make connections between different things that aren’t always entirely logical or obvious, hence, creativity. 

There’s a lot going on inside of you, both in terms of different layers of your brain and the sides of your brain. I think that a lot of what we think of when it comes to the subconscious can be all of the information that your brain is currently storing in a dormant state. You don’t need access to all of it all at the same time. That would be terrible for us to be having flooded, getting flooded with all of that information all the time. So it selectively gives you what you need when you think about it, which is good. But it’s also generating ideas and holding on to core beliefs and comparing things and taking in information all the time, whether or not you are aware of it. 

So the key to mastery here is first of all, uncovering what is going on in your subconscious mind, so that you can then make decisions about whether or not what’s happening in there is to your benefit or not. Many of our unconscious beliefs and thoughts and ideas are really helpful to us. That’s not saying that what’s happening in your subconscious mind is necessarily bad. However, many people, when they begin this personal growth work, find that they have really outdated ideas that they are subconsciously holding on to. Perhaps things that were true for them in an earlier phase of their life are no longer true for them as adults. Or they might be holding on to rules or values that were true for their parents, perhaps, but are not actually true for them. Also, there can be just weird associations that have developed over the years that are back there that you don’t really know about until you begin intentionally pulling everything out and taking a look at what’s going on. 

From there, once you have that awareness, you can then perhaps decide to intentionally change some of those core beliefs from an empowered place, as opposed to letting them just kind of have their way with you. But the other piece of mastery here is once, I think, you’ve done that work, and gotten a sense of what’s going on in there in the first place, then you can decide what of that process you’d like to practice intentionally trusting and relying on exactly as it is. So there’s a lot here. 

So, first of all, let’s talk a little bit about how to understand your subconscious brain. That’s where this all starts. And to be totally honest with you, it can be very, very challenging to tap into what is true for our subconscious selves. Because it is so ingrained inside of us. It feels so true. It just feels like who we are and what is actually happening to the degree that we’re not even aware that other people might have a different belief, or a different perception, or a different interpretation of reality than we do. So it’s like we’re all swimming in our own broth, to the degree that it’s just normal. It really requires feedback, or an outside perspective to even begin to consider that some of these things that just feel so engrained are actually volitional. 

What else is true is that most of the time, because it’s just like the air you breathe, really, in terms of what just is, that people do not actually begin to reflect on what is banging around inside of their heads. Or what is causing them to feel the way they feel, or react to the way they react until it begins causing problems. Either they’re feeling badly, or they are behaving in ways that they don’t really want to behave in. And they feel a little bit out of control, or they are aware that they’re having non-ideal outcomes in various aspects of their life; either in their relationships or their careers. 

They often come into therapy or coaching to figure out what’s going on; either it’s “help me feel better, or help me behave better, or help me get better results in my life.” That’s the presenting issue. But that is like the doorway that we can then begin to unwind. What is actually going on inside of them that will ultimately give them the power to either feel better or create changes? And I think that that right there is the true transformational power of great therapy or coaching, which is just that agreement between two people who are working together, that we’re making the subconscious conscious, that they are invited to talk about things that they don’t usually talk about in a confidential space, where they are putting into words these things that often go unsaid or unconsidered altogether. 

And back in the day, what Freud, Jung, and those really old school psychoanalysts were on to. They had somebody lay down on the couch for an hour, five days a week, and just talk, stream of consciousness, whatever pops into your head. And while there is not actually a ton of research to support that, that in itself was helpful to people in a sense of changing their lives. What it was really good at is helping people just push out the contents of their brain in a very obvious way; that then made the patterns, or the way that they were thinking, or their core beliefs obvious. 

And again, a lot of times for that traditional insight-oriented psychotherapy, that’s where it stops. Like, “Okay, great. Now that we know, you feel this way because of this thing that happened to you when you were three. There we go.” I don’t think that it can end there. But I do think that just having the opportunity to talk through things is enormously helpful. Also, I think, to have a person who’s pointing out, that is a core belief, or that’s a value or that is a way of thinking that we might be able to modify is often very surprising for people to hear, particularly when it’s just such an ingrained way of being that they don’t think about it at all. Getting that feedback can be very illuminating for people. 

When we do this with people, either in coaching or counseling, oftentimes the things that come up, that are the real culprits, that are creating problems for people subconsciously, take a number of different forms, but these are some of the usual suspects: either people are subconsciously making judgments about themselves or other people that lead them to feel unhappy with other people or with themselves, or feel frustrated with other people because they are not living up to these subconscious expectations or rules that they might be having subconsciously.

Also, sometimes we find that people can have very old core beliefs around their lack of competence. They will anticipate failure or other negative outcomes. That can be very inhibiting when it comes to trying new things or feeling like they can take positive action on their own behalf. So there’s almost like this frozen thing that goes on with people when that’s happening. Also, many times people have this subconscious anticipation of not even just rejection, but oftentimes hostility or hurt from other people. That can lead them to expect that other people aren’t going to treat them well. As a result, when they have that subconscious belief, they can interpret fairly neutral things as being hurtful, or rejecting, or painful in some way, and they respond to people like that. 

So it’s an extreme example, but somebody says, “Please pass the salt,” and person B, if they have a lot of subconscious thoughts and feelings about how other people are going to be mean to them, they will, “Get your own darn salt.” I mean, reacting to people in ways that are really damaging to relationships. So those are often very important to kind of unpeel and get to. So that having subconscious expectations of others, or subconscious anticipation of feeling attacked or persecuted. Oftentimes, though, people can also have not even specific thoughts or beliefs, but ways of thinking that are so ingrained, that they’re unconscious, but that they can result in a ton of even depression and anxiety. For example, if someone subconsciously engages in a lot of black and white thinking, like, “it’s either this or that”, they can feel very paralyzed and anxious when there’s only two pads in front of them, and neither of them are good. 

Also, people can, again, hold on to a lot of rules that they’re not even totally aware of. And oftentimes, if you encounter someone who seems very angry, or if you feel that way, sometimes in your relationship, there’s a good chance that there are subconscious rules that other people are violating, and it is really upsetting you. But the point is when we dive into the subconscious and bring these rules to light, then you can decide. “Why do I think that this is a rule? Is it actually reasonable? Did I expect that everybody in the world should do this like me?” Those kinds of things. 

Another thing that can be very damaging and destructive is when people are subconsciously engaging in a lot of negative self-talk. Believe it or not, and this is very common, it might even be true for you, that people are without even fully realizing it, having this running commentary towards themselves in their mind. It is like, “Yeah, that was crappy. You suck. That was awful. This isn’t going to end well. No, don’t do that. Why did you do that? That was so dumb.” This narrative, the stream of consciousness that is almost like a bully living inside of their own brain, contributes to a lot of self-doubt and feelings of anger, towards self-shame, even internalized shame.

Lastly, something that we’re all extremely vulnerable to, and there is an ocean of research around this from not just social psychology but marketing research, believe it or not, is that we are all vulnerable to subconscious priming. So that if you have an experience, or you’re exposed to a certain idea, it changes the way that you perceive what happens next, and the way that you react. So there is so much going on. And so I’ve just kind of given you an overview of the usual suspects of what’s not helpful when it comes to the subconscious mind. But there are also a lot of positive, oftentimes really affirming core beliefs and ways of thinking and expectations that are going on inside of you, too. 

The process of getting in touch with your subconscious is not in any way intended to be going into the darkness and wrestling all the bad stuff. But it’s just seeing what’s there, and what is valuable and useful to you. For example, old ideas about the fact that people are generally good, and have generally good intentions, and that most people are really just like you at the end of the day, and probably feel the same way that you do and want the same things that you do. Those types of ideas make it easier to have empathy for other people and to engage and respond to other people in a more helpful way. 

Core ideas and subconscious beliefs that you are fundamentally competent and able to solve problems and take action on your own behalf that you have control over your life and over your outcomes is really positive. Deep core beliefs that, “things are eventually going to be okay,” is enormously comforting. And also beliefs that people have a right to their own autonomy, that people have the right to their own thoughts and feelings and ways of doing things, even if they’re different from yours. Again, that leads to being more tolerant, and I think less reactive when it comes to managing interpersonal things. So again, all of these are good things. And there are many, many more when it comes to positive subconscious core beliefs. 

But the first clue that there is work to be done for any of us when it comes to engaging in our subconscious mind in a more explicit way is when you’re feeling bad, or when you’re getting frustrating results, or when the same kinds of patterns keep happening again and again in your life. That is an indication that there’s something going on subconsciously that is worth exploring. And there’s also a lot of research to back up the utility of doing this. 

One of the types of therapy that has the most evidence behind it to support its efficacy. And I think it also has some limitations but it’s something called cognitive therapy. And the whole point of this therapy is to focus on the way that you are thinking. And then making very specific changes in the way that you are thinking that lead to feeling better. And I think the reason that cognitive therapy has such a good track record and so much research behind it, is that it combines those two schools. There is obviously some insight that comes up when we understand how you’re thinking in the first place, but then it combines it with specific action around. “Okay, so now what do we do to change this?” 

Again, I think that the limit of cognitive therapy like any therapies is that it’s oftentimes very focused on maladaptive pathologized experiences. So it’s a treatment for depression, or anxiety or OCD, things that are issues for people. I don’t think that it’s oftentimes applied to the kinds of personal growth work that many people are really looking for. So there are limitations there too but at its core, it’s good. 

So let me tell you some ways that you might get more deeply in touch with your subconscious mind. I mean, one is what we’ve been discussing which is putting yourself into situations where you have the opportunity to give a voice to your feelings; counseling, coaching, even journaling can be helpful. Although with the journaling, you’re still in your own head. Other ways of bringing your conscious, subconscious mind rather, into your conscious awareness are through other activities like observing the way that you behave or the way that you react to situations, particularly when it doesn’t make a lot of sense. When we develop that observer mindset within ourselves, you can begin to understand the duality. This is often the case if you find yourself acting in ways that are different than how you intend or that are not totally congruent with the outcomes that you would like to achieve. 

Just developing that ability to think about yourself in a different way can give you a lot of really interesting insight into the way that your subconscious mind is showing up. It’s also true that going back and noticing the patterns that you may have experienced in your life, either in relationships or in the way that you behave. When you have ongoing patterns that have happened over and over again in your life, it can give you a lot of really valuable information when it comes to understanding how your subconscious mind could be influencing the things that you do. So I think oftentimes, almost putting together a timeline of, “These are things that have happened to me. These are some of the situations that seemed to be coming up over and over again,” it can be enormously valuable. 

This is one that I think can be harder to do for yourself, but I wanted to throw it out there anyway because it’s so powerful. It’s that when people engage in projective tests, you can get so much important information. And so when I say projective tests, this is actually a psychological testing tool that psychologists such as myself are taught. And it is a way of creating a space for people to literally project their subconscious thoughts in an outer setting so that the information becomes available. So a basic projective test is, “Tell me a story about XYZ.” So when doing psychological testing, there are projective test cards, where you hand someone a neutral scene, a family sitting at a dinner table, perhaps and tell me a story about this family. And then what, and then what. Through that kind of exploration, an enormous amount of information can be gathered about how that person feels, how they perceive others, how they react to other people. 

There are lots of ways of doing that. And you can do some of this with journaling. But again, it can be helpful to do this projective work with someone. But I will also tell you that another really powerful projective test that we often use in therapy or in coaching is the way that people react, even to us, as a therapist. I am pretty much the same person in most situations. When I am having a relationship with a client that treats me substantially differently than I usually experience with other people. That is a lot of information for me about how they are interpreting me through the lens of their subconscious beliefs and feelings and expectations. 

Again, in your own life to do this for yourself, I mean, if you think about, how do I usually feel with people, what kinds of reactions do I usually have to people, that is very indicative of you. Either the way that you are reacting to people or subconsciously the kind of people that you might be drawn into having relationships with. It’s for exactly these kinds of reasons why when people ask me some of the questions that I went over at the beginning of our time together because these things are so powerful and so hidden. 

My saying, say please and thank you to your wife instead of XYZ, those kinds of high-level advice kinds of tips. They will get blown away like a piece of tissue paper in a hurricane when someone has these really old, powerful core beliefs about others, about themselves, about relationships, about expectations, and without the opportunity to crack into that and understand that, people will just have the same kinds of experiences over and over and over again. So this work is extremely important. 

Other ways of cracking into your subconscious self, that can be really interesting and effective. So because so much of your mind is active when you’re not really thinking about it. But because day to day, our conscious brain is so powerful, we’re oftentimes very distracted about whatever we are consciously thinking about, or what is happening in front of us, or the situation at hand, or even what we’re thinking about on the inside. It doesn’t leave a lot of room for our subconscious brain to communicate to us. But there are these little cracks that can happen in your day that are different and different opportunities there. So things like being able to pay attention to what’s going on in your brain right before you fall asleep can actually be very instructive on that level. Furthermore, thinking about your dreams in a more conscious and coherent way can be really adaptive. 

So even something as simple as keeping a dream journal next to your bed. And recording the things that you dream about in a more explicit way can help give you some insight into what’s going on to your subconscious mind. Other times, and I think a lot of creative people can use this to their advantage, when you are doing things that don’t really take a whole lot of brain power. So your conscious brain is kind of turned off a little bit. So things like showering or walking or knitting, you might become aware that you have these little creative bursts or even intrusive thoughts almost, that are like these little messages from your subconscious brain. And these are often very illuminatory. Is that even a word? They illuminate what is happening in your subconscious brain in a very powerful way. So that can be really helpful. 

Other things that can help are simply starting to pay attention to it. And slowing down and being more reflective about what’s going on inside of you, especially during the times that you are having reactions to things that might not always make sense. Once you have done that type of personal growth work, you can then also begin, very deliberately, learning how to trust and rely on your subconscious mind to be walking by your side as you go through your day to really help you. 

This is really neat. We do a lot of this type of work with creative people. But I think that it can work for all of us. And the first thing is that it requires a new basic assumption, which is, “I am operating on a much deeper level that I know about consciously. And there are a lot of useful things happening in my brain, almost all the time, that I am not always fully aware of. And just having that thought, I think is super helpful because it gives you access to this part of your mind that I think a lot of times is not fully appreciated for what it really is.

Because what is true is that, in addition to being kind of the seat of core beliefs and judgments and feelings, your subconscious mind is very, very active. It is thinking on a subconscious level. It can solve problems and kind of put things together for you in a way that is oftentimes really staggering when you learn how to use this. You’re taking in information all of the time, whether or not you’re totally aware of it. On a deep level, your brain is synthesizing all of this and will present new ideas to you if you allow it to. A hallmark of this process is having a fully-formed thought just happen. That light bulb going off moment… Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree and getting bumped on the head with an apple. There’s a good chance that he had been on some level, putting key ingredients into his subconscious mind that then just stated and gave birth to a fully formed idea that he was not totally aware of at the time. 

Some creative people or people who do a lot of intellectual work, work that requires them to be solving problems, or coming up with innovative solutions or new ideas, learn how to harness this. I’ve worked with creative people who will actually, subconsciously, consciously rather ask their subconscious mind to solve a problem or come up with a new idea, and then stop thinking about it. They consciously stop thinking about it, knowing that sooner or later the answer will come. You can use this for a wide variety of applications. If you’re going through a difficult situation in your life, you can say, “Subconscious, I do not know what to do. So I’m going to let you think about this and bring me a few different options. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.” Stop thinking about it, and go about your life. 

It’s unusual that when people are really engaging with their subconscious selves in this way, that at least some valuable information doesn’t come to them sooner or later. A lot of creative people too, or people who have to think about things for a living will oftentimes create a practice where they simply make themselves available at certain times of the day. Stephen King, the writer, is a classic example. He describes having a very structured workday where he simply shows up in front of his computer at the same time every morning, ready to type. The writer and podcaster Melissa Gilbert describes a similar podcast where she just shows up at regularly scheduled intervals, ready to receive a transmission from “The Muse” or “creativity” or whatever you want to call it. But really, it’s her subconscious brain that has been active outside of her conscious awareness. And being able to tap into that is really, really powerful. 

And I think this also gives some understanding to the research that we see that supports this idea that the most intellectually difficult or creative or problem-solving types of activities are really enhanced when people back off from the work itself, and stop deliberately thinking about it, or trying to rationally solve a problem by two-plus-two-equals-four kinds of efforts. And instead, do something else; engaging activities that allows their subconscious mind the opportunity to just chug along and hammer around and think about different things and put things together and take things apart without consciously being aware of it. 

So you see a lot of enormously successful intellectual or creative types spending a lot of time doing things that are not directly related to their core work, like playing music, or doing sports, or knitting, or sleeping, or going on hikes, or being in nature or— So you have to give it some space and trust it to be able to work. Many of the ideas that come to people can feel very creative, but there’s also an argument that this is the true seat of our intuition itself. There are many things that people know, without consciously knowing, or that have not had an obvious path to understanding. Do you know what I mean? 

These flashes of intuition or when things that are true for you… I don’t know. Maybe it could be something like a quasi-spiritual thing. But a more plausible reason is that your subconscious mind has really been right there by your side; taking in all the information and synthesizing things and making associations that you might not be consciously aware of, and coming up with the truth but by means of a different system, than your logical and conscious brain might come up with. And it’s often the correct answer, even though we don’t know why. And particularly, when it comes to things related to your basic security and survival. 

There is a marvelous book; it’s called The Gift of Fear. It’s an older book. Now, I can’t remember exactly when it came out but it’s called The Gift of Fear. And it documents the many, many, many examples of times that people have been in situations where on a subconscious level, their brain has been recording activity around them or paying attention to little details that they weren’t consciously aware of. And they were overwhelmed with feelings of fear, or like, “I need to get out of here.” And they acted on it, and it saved their lives. So particularly, if you find yourself feeling unusually freaked out or uncomfortable in a situation, it could be that you’re getting really important information from your subconscious mind that you should pay attention to. 

It can be a little bit challenging to learn when to trust this, and when to not… Like what we were talking about last week when it comes to understanding your emotions and becoming emotionally healthy. The prerequisite of this work is to do a really good job of ferreting out what you usually think about, and particularly the unhelpful core beliefs or associations, or old life experiences that lead to feeling fearful or getting in the way of positive outcomes. But then once you know that, it becomes easier and more obvious to pay attention to different, more unusual communications from your subconscious mind that you should listen to. 

I know that probably sounds a little bit confusing. But an example would be if you’ve lived through some really hard early experiences where you weren’t safe with people. You might feel unsafe with people currently, even in fairly neutral situations, and you might act like you’re unsafe. You might get combative or you might withdraw. This can be really disruptive to your relationships. 

But if you’ve done the work that I’m talking about, and you know this about yourself, you can really intentionally and deliberately practice the types of things that would help you feel safer in the present moment; either different core beliefs, or some present moment awareness skills, and do that really consciously. That can change the way you feel. And then you notice, as a result, change the way that you react, and your relationships will get better. 

But if you have done all of this work, and you’re really self-aware, you trust yourself to respond well to people. And you’re living in that stage of enlightenment I guess, for lack of a better way of saying it, then if you have an unusual occurrence, where you’re kind of out of the blue, like, “Wow, I do not like this person. And I’m feeling really intensely about that. I’m not totally sure why.” Or if you’re like lightning bolt of, “Ooh, I feel really unsafe right now, and I feel like I need to get out of here. But I can’t think of a good reason why.” Once you’re in that space, and you can identify your usual machinations from these really different unique experiences, that will really help you trust those times that you’re getting an important message from your subconscious that you should listen to. As opposed to kind of an artifact that you might need to override. 

So lots of information in this podcast, I hope that it gives you some direction for how to understand yourself and redirect yourself if necessary, and intentionally use the power of your subconscious for the purpose of all good things. I have to tell you, as I was putting together this podcast for today, recently, I became aware that my subconscious mind has been guiding my work lately and I almost laughed out loud because I wasn’t, I really did not literally think about what I was doing. But an ongoing intention for me personally, is to do things on this show that are going to be genuinely meaningful and helpful to you, to my listeners. That’s my basic intention. 

But what I just realized last week is that as I’ve been designing topics for the show and talking about different things, I’ve actually been walking everybody through an experience that’s organized similarly to the way that I organize the work that I do with my clients, which is, “First, we’re going to talk about self-awareness. And we’re going to talk about understanding yourself and having compassion for yourself. And then in the next few weeks, we’re going to be moving into other topics like how to understand relationships, starting with a relationship that you have with yourself. And then how to talk about and manage boundaries, or how to handle toxic relationships or particularly triggering relationships.” 

And I think subconsciously, I’ve started doing this in preparation for the holidays, which are often stressful from a relational point of view. And then after that, to kind of cruise into having a really successful New Year. So my subconscious mind has been organizing that for all of us. I hope that it’s been helpful for you. Not that any of this is in any way a substitute or even remotely similar to the type of experience you have in actual therapy or coaching. But it’s along the same lines. So I hope that it’s been good for you, too. 

So that’s it for our show today. I’ll be back in touch. Next time, when we’re going to be talking about how to have a healthy relationship with yourself. I’m excited about this topic. And in the meantime, thank you again for joining me, for listening today in the podcast, or joining me on Instagram or YouTube. I will be back again next Monday at 12pm, Mountain Time, if you’d like to do this again. And in the meantime, thank you for your questions. And also for sharing the show. I’ve heard from so many of you that you’ve shared the show or specific episodes to people in your lives who you think could benefit from hearing some of this information. And on behalf of them, thank you. And thank you, too, for rating or reviewing this show wherever you happen to listen to it because that small action on your part helps other people find the podcast in their moment of need and to help support their personal growth process. So on behalf of them, thank you for your support of the show, and we’ll talk again soon. All right. Take care.

Episode Highlights

• It can be challenging to tap into our subconscious minds.
• We rarely reflect on what goes on in our heads because it’s so natural to us.
• Knowing how your subconscious works can make you feel better and improve your relationships.
• Subconscious Rules
• Our subconscious has rules that we are not aware of, unless we work to find these out.
• These subconscious rules affect how we relate with others.
• Subconscious Negativity
• We are all too often engaged in our subconscious’s negativity, because of the subconscious rules.
• Negative self-talk and negative self-esteem are rooted in this.
• Cracking Into Your Subconscious
• Being conscious of your subconscious can be valuable.
• Engage in activities such as journaling, coaching, and counseling to have feedback from another person about your subconscious.
• Be conscious of how you react to other people and situations.
• Try to catch your thoughts before falling asleep, and think more into your dreams.
• Information From Your Subconscious
• Your subconscious is a good source of information.
• You can tap into your subconscious for anything: creative prompts, solutions to problems, sometimes even gut-feel for situations when you feel unsafe.

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is the founder and clinical director of Growing Self. She is a licensed psychologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a board-certified coach, as well as the author of “Exaholics: Breaking Your Addiction to Your Ex Love,” and the host of The Love, Happiness & Success Podcast.

Learn more about Dr. Lisa

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Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is the founder and clinical director of Growing Self. She is a licensed psychologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a board-certified coach, as well as the author of "Exaholics: Breaking Your Addiction to Your Ex Love," and the host of The Love, Happiness & Success Podcast.

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The Power of Subconscious Mind: How It Shapes Our Learning and Decision-Making

• Date: April 3, 2023

Table of Contents

Our subconscious mind is a powerful energy that plays a critical role in shaping our beliefs, behaviors, and decision-making processes. From the moment we are born, our brains are constantly processing information from the world around us, storing it in our subconscious minds and using it to influence our conscious decisions.

Let’s discuss the science behind the power of the subconscious mind and how it impacts our learning and decision-making processes.

The Science of the Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind is a term used to describe the parts of our brain that operate below the level of conscious awareness. It is responsible for storing and processing vast amounts of information, including memories, emotions, and past experiences.

Research has shown that our subconscious mind can process up to 11 million pieces of information per second, compared to just 40 pieces of information per second processed by our conscious mind.

One of the key ways that our subconscious mind influences our behavior is through the use of mental shortcuts or heuristics. These heuristics are automatic; unconscious thought processes that allow us to make quick decisions based on limited information.

While these heuristics can be useful in some situations, they can also lead to biases and errors in judgment.

Examples of the Power of the Subconscious Mind

Let’s take a look at some examples of how the subconscious mind can influence our behavior and decision-making:

• Priming : Imagine you see an advertisement for a fast-food restaurant on your way home from work. Later that evening, when you are trying to decide what to have for dinner, you may be more likely to choose fast food because the earlier advertisement has primed your subconscious mind.
• Emotional tagging: If you have a strong emotional attachment to a particular clothing brand, you may be more likely to purchase it, even if it is more expensive than a competing brand. This is because your subconscious mind has attached emotional significance to the brand, influencing your conscious decision-making process.
• Mental shortcuts: If you are trying to decide which product to buy at the grocery store, you may be more likely to choose a product with a familiar brand name rather than a lesser-known brand. This is because your subconscious mind uses a mental shortcut, or heuristic, to make a quick decision based on limited information.
• Learning from experience: If you have a negative experience with a particular type of investment, such as losing money in the stock market, your subconscious mind may cause you to feel a sense of caution or aversion when you encounter similar investment opportunities in the future.
• Creative problem-solving: Sometimes, our subconscious mind can help us solve problems or develop creative ideas. For example, you may have had the experience of struggling to solve a problem, only to have the solution suddenly pop into your mind when you are doing something else, like taking a shower or going for a walk. This is because your subconscious mind has been working on the problem in the background and has come up with a solution when your conscious mind is distracted.

The Role of the Subconscious Mind in Learning

The subconscious mind plays a critical role in the learning process. As we encounter new information and experiences, our subconscious mind stores this information and uses it to influence our future behavior.

For example, if we have a positive experience with a particular type of food, our subconscious mind may cause us to seek out that food in the future.

Research has also shown that our subconscious mind can influence our learning through the use of priming. Priming is a process by which exposure to certain stimuli can affect our subsequent behavior.

For example, if we are exposed to positive images of a particular subject before learning about it, we may be more likely to have a positive attitude towards that subject and learn more effectively.

Harnessing the Power of the Subconscious Mind

By understanding the power of the subconscious mind, we can learn to harness its power more effectively. Here are some strategies for doing so:

• Pay attention to your experiences and emotions: The subconscious mind constantly processes information from our experiences and emotions. By paying attention to these experiences and emotions, we can understand the subconscious forces influencing our behavior.
• Be open to new ideas and perspectives: The subconscious mind can influence our beliefs and attitudes towards new ideas and perspectives. By being open-minded and receptive to new information, we can expand our subconscious programming and become more adaptable and flexible in our thinking.
• Use positive affirmations and visualization: Positive affirmations and visualization are powerful tools for programming the subconscious mind toward our goals. By repeatedly affirming positive beliefs and visualizing positive outcomes, we can reprogram our subconscious mind and align our conscious behavior with our subconscious desires.
• Verify the authenticity of information: When making decisions, it is important to verify the authenticity of the information we use. By checking the sources’ credentials and researching the product or service offered, we can make more informed decisions that are less likely to be influenced by subconscious biases.

Final Thoughts

The subconscious mind is a powerful force that plays a critical role in shaping our learning and decision-making processes. By understanding how the subconscious mind works and learning to harness its power, we can make better decisions, achieve greater success, and lead more fulfilling lives.

Whether we are seeking to learn a new skill, make a major life decision, or simply navigate the complexities of daily life, the power of the subconscious mind can be a valuable tool for achieving our goals.

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Unconscious Problem Solving

This method relies on the unconscious mind to be continually processing the various sensory inputs stored in short-term and long-term memory.

Using your unconscious to solve problems is a process of listening and a readiness to record ideas as they percolate into your conscious mind.

Some of the greatest thinkers were great relaxers. Einstein was a daydreamer and spent much of his relaxation time sailing on a lake. Ralph Waldo Emerson enjoyed fishing.

It's all very well to work hard on a problem under the stressful pressure of deadlines, but the opposite condition of relaxation and not working on a problem is very valuable. A practical application of this technique is to saturate yourself in the problem and then take a break. Write down the problem on a writing pad and leave it by your bedside. The next morning, take that pad and start writing down your ideas. Aim to write three full pages of anything that comes to mind. Explore your dreams. We all dream, and we all dream a lot more than we think we do. As you get into bed, say out loud: "Tonight I am going to dream about " (including a brief description of the problem). When you wake up, lie and bed and think some more about the problem. The important thing is not to try too hard. Go with the flow. Incubate.

Last updated: 18th October 1996

Continue reading here: Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

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Readers' Questions

What is not someting that our unconcious mind helps us solve?

One possibility is complex mathematical calculations involving advanced formulas or equations. While our unconscious mind may assist in simpler arithmetic or solving basic math problems, intricate mathematical problems often require conscious effort, logical reasoning, and deliberate thinking.

Which if the follow is not something that our unconscious mind helps us solve?

Math problems

What does our unconscious mind help solve problems?

Our unconscious mind helps solve problems by helping us access and apply our intuition and creativity, taking shortcuts in problem solving, and helping us to find creative solutions to problems. It helps us to process information quickly and come up with creative solutions to problems.

How to Hack the Power of your Subconscious Mind

Jul 14, 2022 | Blog

Welcome to a transformative journey of unlocking the hidden potential within you.

Our unconscious mind holds the key to untapped reserves of calm, confidence, and resilience, waiting to be harnessed.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the art of hacking into the depths of your subconscious to create positive shifts in your thoughts, behaviours, and emotional well-being.

Imagine a life where anxiety and self-doubt no longer hold you back, where confidence and inner peace become your steadfast companions.

Your subconscious mind is powerful

Through powerful techniques like hypnotherapy , affirmations, visualisation, and exposure therapy, we’ll delve into the realm of the unconscious mind, revealing how it influences every aspect of our lives.

It’s time to unlock the potential within and embrace a life of calm, confidence, and boundless possibilities.

95% of your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and habits are thought to originate in your subconscious mind. 

Let that sink in for a moment! You actually have very little conscious control over most of your experience. 

If you’re not hacking your subconscious mind, you are seriously missing out.

What is the subconscious mind?

The subconscious mind is like the hidden powerhouse within us, quietly influencing our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours without us even realising it. The definition of the subconscious mind is the part of our mind that operates beneath the surface, storing memories, beliefs, and experiences that shape our perception of the world. The subconscious mind plays a crucial role in shaping our self-image, influencing our habits, and even guiding our decision-making process.

It’s the realm of our deepest desires, fears , and aspirations, often operating on autopilot to protect us and help us navigate life. Understanding the power of the subconscious mind allows us to tap into its potential and make positive changes in our lives. By working with the subconscious mind through practices like hypnotherapy and visualisation, we can reprogram limiting beliefs, overcome self-sabotage, and unlock our true potential.

Anxiety is also an unconscious process, things like a panic attack, anxiety attack or obsessive compulsive disorder are not things we ‘consciously’ decide to do, they happen spontaneously from the unconscious. If we want to manage anxiety, it makes sense to work at it from the unconscious level by clearing your subconscious mind and instilling new, helpful ways of being.

Embracing the wisdom of the subconscious mind can be a transformative journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

Try a subconscious mind reprogramming hypnosis session here with the anxiety hypnotherapy pack

What is the difference between the subconscious and unconscious?

These words are used interchangeably and mean the same thing. The deeper part of your mind where all your thoughts, ideas and habits spring from. It’s the part of your mind that is not under your conscious control. For example, habits that you do without thinking, or even bodily functions like digestion and breathing, are controlled by the subconscious or unconscious mind.

The conscious mind

Many approaches to change make use of the conscious mind – things like CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), coaching, counselling and positive psychology. And although these can be great approaches, scientists now know that around 95% of our thoughts, feelings, habits and responses come from the subconscious mind, below our conscious awareness. We may be trying to change something with our conscious minds but find that we stay stuck and our conscious efforts fail.

We can try to change our negative thoughts with positive affirmations for example, but if our unconscious thoughts are still negative, it will be hard to change our own thought patterns.

The difference between the conscious and subconscious mind

The conscious and subconscious mind are like two sides of the same coin, each playing a unique role in shaping our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

The conscious mind is what we experience in our waking moments, the part of our mind that we’re aware of. It’s the realm of logical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving. We use our conscious mind to analyse information, set goals, and make deliberate choices.

On the other hand, the subconscious mind operates beneath the surface, quietly influencing our thoughts and behaviours based on our past experiences, beliefs, and emotions. It’s the storehouse of our memories, habits, and ingrained patterns.

While the conscious mind represents the tip of the iceberg, the subconscious mind holds the vast depths of our beliefs, fears, and desires. Understanding the interplay between the conscious and subconscious mind allows us to harness their combined power for personal growth and transformation.

Bringing the subconscious mind into conscious awareness

By bringing awareness to our subconscious beliefs and actively reprogramming them, we can align our conscious desires with our underlying beliefs, creating an empowered mindset. Embracing the full potential of both the conscious and subconscious mind is the key to unlocking our true potential and living a fulfilling life.

It’s no wonder that things that you might have tried in the past to change have failed. You’re fighting a battle against the mightily powerful unconscious mind and all its out-of-date programming. 

Regain control of your mind

If you’re feeling out of control when you’re feeling anxious, it’s no wonder. The subconscious mind is responsible for things like the automatic thoughts where you’re beating yourself up, for the choices you make at Starbucks when you’re out and about and hungry, and the racing heart and dry mouth when you’re  speaking up  in a meeting. 

Don’t leave your unconscious mind up to chance, take control of it, learn to programme it, and send it some positive messages!

How to reprogram your subconscious mind

We can think of the unconscious mind as being like a computer, where old, out-of-date programmes are running the show. 

Much of our unconscious mind gets programmed in  childhood . When we’re young, our minds are in download mode, learning about the world and how to exist in it. We’re very receptive to things we’re told, things we see. Past events programme our mind and the unconscious memories can run the show.

The coping strategies we create at the time can stay with us for a lifetime if left unchecked. 

Coping strategies that you created at age 6 which still dominate your life at age 36. It might not even relate to things you have conscious recall of. For example, you learned to be clingy because you didn’t get enough love – and that same pattern continues into adulthood. Or you learned to stay busy and be constantly productive as a way to numb your feelings because you never learned to feel and process them.

As a hypnotherapist of more than 12 years, I’ve seen this time and time again. 

Here are my five ways to hack your subconscious mind for more  calm and confidence  (or any change you’d like to make).

Download your FREE High Functioning Anxiety Workbook here

Visualisation 

Your imagination is the language of your unconscious mind. We can use our imagination to send messages to the unconscious and it’s a tool I often use within hypnotherapy. 

Visualisation is a powerful technique that can create profound changes in the unconscious mind. When we engage in vivid and detailed mental imagery, we stimulate the same neural pathways in the brain as if we were experiencing the situation in real life.

By repeatedly visualising positive outcomes, achievements, and desired behaviours, we send a clear message to the unconscious mind about our intentions and aspirations. This process helps to strengthen neural connections associated with these positive thoughts and embed them in the subconscious.

As a result, the unconscious mind begins to align with our visualised reality, influencing our beliefs, behaviours, and perceptions. Through consistent visualisation, we can reprogram old thought patterns and fears, build confidence, and enhance our ability to manifest our goals and dreams. Visualisation taps into the creative power of the mind, empowering us to shape our reality from within and achieve our fullest potential.

What’s interesting about your imagination is that your body doesn’t know the difference between something that you vividly imagine and something that is happening for real.

Let’s try something for a minute. Close your eyes and imagine a big, juicy lemon. Roll it between your hands, feel its texture, see its colour, and give it a good sniff. Next, imagine yourself putting it onto a chopping board and with a sharp knife, slicing the lemon in two. See the juice squirting out as you slice it. Now take a piece of lemon and bring it to your mouth, squeezing in some of the juice.

What do you notice? maybe your mouth started to water, or you even winced in anticipation of the sour taste of lemon? This is your imagination at work, creating an experience that your unconscious mind interprets as real. 

We can therefore use visualisation to create real experiences and practise feeling more calm and confident in situations. To help us to change our self-image – to one of confidence and calm, for example, to help us to feel safe in certain situations, such as when setting boundaries or when public speaking and to start to think and feel more positively about the future, rather than dreading it and expecting the worst.

Affirmations 

Using affirmations is a powerful tool to reprogram the unconscious mind and foster positive changes in our thoughts and beliefs. Affirmations are like gentle whispers of encouragement that we speak to ourselves, guiding us towards a more empowering and optimistic mindset.

By repeating positive statements daily, we can gradually overwrite negative or limiting beliefs stored in the unconscious mind. The key to effective affirmations lies in their authenticity and emotional resonance.

Instead of merely reciting words, we infuse our affirmations with genuine belief and emotion. When we consistently affirm our worthiness, capabilities, and potential, we create new neural pathways in the brain, reinforcing positive thought patterns.

Affirmations can help us challenge self-doubt, cultivate self-compassion, and embrace a mindset of growth and possibility. As we align our conscious intentions with the language of the unconscious mind, we can harness the full power of affirmations to create lasting and positive change in our lives.

It’s likely that you’ve unconsciously been telling yourself negative things for many years. Repetition is one way to change our unconscious thought patterns, and affirmations are a great way to do that. While affirmations may not work as well if you’re feeling very low or down on yourself, they can be helpful to give yourself a boost and work best when alongside hypnotherapy.

Write down your own or listen to a recording, get a free one for confidence at  www.calmer-you.com/confidence  or get 4 as a bonus when you sign up for  The Hypnotherapy Collection.

Recalibrate your unconscious with ‘exposure therapy’

Exposure therapy is a powerful technique used to reprogram the unconscious mind and alleviate anxiety or fear-based responses. In this therapeutic approach, individuals are gently and gradually exposed to the source of their anxiety in a safe and controlled environment.

By facing their fears head-on, they begin to challenge the automatic negative associations stored in the unconscious mind. Through repeated exposure, the brain learns that the feared stimuli are not as threatening as initially perceived, leading to a process called “extinction.”

As a result, new neural connections form, replacing the old fear-based pathways with more adaptive and calmer responses. Exposure therapy empowers individuals to break free from the grip of anxiety, helping them build resilience and confidence.

With the support of a skilled therapist or mental health professional, this transformative process can lead to lasting positive changes in the unconscious mind, paving the way for a more fulfilling and anxiety-free life.

In a step-by-step way, go and face your fears. Teach your body and your nervous system that speaking in public, going in elevators, or being around dogs is actually safe by going into the situation and staying with any uncomfortable feelings of fear or anxiety.

Instead of running away or avoiding these situations, stay with them. Breathe through the feelings. The next time, it will be easier as your nervous system recalibrates and learns that it’s not a life or death situation.

Hypnotherapy 

Hypnotherapy is the ultimate way to hack our subconscious mind. During a hypnotherapy session, you find yourself getting into a deep state where the unconscious mind becomes more open and receptive to making changes.

In a relaxed state of focused attention, the hypnotherapist guides the individual into a state of heightened suggestibility, allowing access to the deeper layers of the mind.

During this state, the unconscious mind becomes more receptive to positive suggestions and affirmations. The hypnotherapist uses carefully crafted language and imagery to instil new beliefs, break free from limiting thought patterns, and address unresolved emotions or traumas.

By working directly with the unconscious mind, hypnotherapy can bypass conscious resistance and facilitate profound changes in thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs.

It helps create new neural pathways, reinforcing positive associations and promoting healthier responses to triggers and challenges.

As a result, hypnotherapy empowers you to release emotional blockages, build self-confidence, and achieve lasting transformation in various aspects of their lives.

We can get ourselves back into ‘download mode’ so the changes that we want to make get through to the unconscious mind and stay there. Change the way you think and feel  about yourself , how you respond, and your habits and behaviours in a way that is gentle and feels incredibly relaxing.

Side effects of hypnotherapy include having better self-talk, feeling more relaxed and present, feeling lighter and other people noticing a change in you. Download my ultimate hypnotherapy collection at  www.calmer-you.com/collection  and start your transformation today

Sleep Solutions

Ask your unconscious mind to solve a problem while you sleep. Think about a problem or something you’d like clarity or a solution on. Ask your subconscious mind to work on this  while you sleep . Your unconscious mind is a problem-solving machine! When you wake up, you may well have the answers you need. 

Emotional Freedom Technique

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as “tapping,” is a holistic healing approach that combines elements of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and psychology.

It involves tapping on specific meridian points on the body while verbalising affirmations and acknowledging negative emotions or limiting beliefs. By doing so, EFT aims to release energy blockages and restore balance in the body’s energy system.

This gentle and non-invasive technique is believed to address emotional and physical issues, such as stress, anxiety, trauma, and pain.

EFT harnesses the power of the mind-body connection to promote emotional healing and create positive changes in thought patterns and behaviours. With its easy accessibility and potential for self-use, EFT has gained popularity as a valuable tool for individuals seeking to manage emotions and enhance overall well-being.

Get started with hacking your subconscious mind with the Ultimate Hypnotherapy Collection – 16 powerful downloads to become your calmest, happiest self:  www.calmer-you.com/collection

Frequently asked questions

Unconscious mind vs subconscious mind – what’s the difference.

The unconscious and subconscious minds, while often used interchangeably, have distinct roles in psychology. The unconscious mind refers to the deep-seated, often inaccessible part of our mind that governs instincts and repressed memories. It’s the reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories outside of our conscious awareness. The subconscious mind, on the other hand, acts as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious layers. It contains information that we can become aware of if necessary, like ingrained beliefs and automated skills. It’s more accessible than the unconscious and influences our conscious decision-making and behaviors.

How to cope with subconscious anxiety?

Coping with subconscious anxiety involves bringing those underlying fears to the surface and addressing them. Techniques like mindfulness and meditation can help in becoming more aware of subconscious thoughts and feelings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in identifying and changing negative thought patterns that fuel anxiety. Journaling can also be a useful tool for uncovering and processing subconscious anxieties. Additionally, practices like yoga and deep breathing exercises can help in managing the physical symptoms of anxiety. In some cases, working with a therapist can provide deeper insight and more targeted strategies to cope with subconscious anxiety.

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We make thousands of unconscious decisions every day. Here’s how your brain copes with that

Assistant Professor of Habit Change, Bond University

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Gina Cleo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Do you remember learning to drive a car? You probably fumbled around for the controls, checked every mirror multiple times, made sure your foot was on the brake pedal, then ever-so-slowly rolled your car forward.

Fast forward to now and you’re probably driving places and thinking, “how did I even get here? I don’t remember the drive”. The task of driving, which used to take a lot of mental energy and concentration, has now become subconscious, automatic – habitual.

But how – and why – do you go from concentrating on a task to making it automatic?

Habits are there to help us cope

We live in a vibrant, complex and transient world where we constantly face a barrage of information competing for our attention. For example, our eyes take in over one megabyte of data every second . That’s equivalent to reading 500 pages of information or an entire encyclopedia every minute.

Just one whiff of a familiar smell can trigger a memory from childhood in less than a millisecond, and our skin contains up to 4 million receptors that provide us with important information about temperature, pressure, texture, and pain.

And if that wasn’t enough data to process, we make thousands of decisions every single day. Many of them are unconscious and/or minor, such as putting seasoning on your food, picking a pair of shoes to wear, choosing which street to walk down, and so on.

Some people are neurodiverse, and the ways we sense and process the world differ. But generally speaking, because we simply cannot process all the incoming data , our brains create habits – automations of the behaviours and actions we often repeat.

Read more: Neurodiversity can be a workplace strength, if we make room for it

Two brain systems

There are two forces that govern our behaviour: intention and habit. In simple terms, our brain has dual processing systems , sort of like a computer with two processors.

Performing a behaviour for the first time requires intention, attention and planning – even if plans are made only moments before the action is performed.

This happens in our prefrontal cortex. More than any other part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex is responsible for making deliberate and logical decisions. It’s the key to reasoning, problem-solving, comprehension, impulse control and perseverance. It affects behaviour via goal-driven decisions .

For example, you use your “reflective” system (intention) to make yourself go to bed on time because sleep is important, or to move your body because you’ll feel great afterwards. When you are learning a new skill or acquiring new knowledge, you will draw heavily on the reflective brain system to form new memory connections in the brain. This system requires mental energy and effort.

Read more: Here's what happens in your brain when you're trying to make or break a habit

From impulse to habit

On the other hand, your “impulsive” (habit) system is in your brain’s basal ganglia , which plays a key role in the development of emotions, memories, and pattern recognition. It’s impetuous, spontaneous, and pleasure seeking.

For example, your impulsive system might influence you to pick up greasy takeaway on the way home from a hard day at work, even though there’s a home-cooked meal waiting for you. Or it might prompt you to spontaneously buy a new, expensive television. This system requires no energy or cognitive effort as it operates reflexively, subconsciously and automatically.

When we repeat a behaviour in a consistent context, our brain recognises the patterns and moves the control of that behaviour from intention to habit. A habit occurs when your impulse towards doing something is automatically initiated because you encounter a setting in which you’ve done the same thing in the past . For example, getting your favourite takeaway because you walk past the food joint on the way home from work every night – and it’s delicious every time, giving you a pleasurable reward.

Shortcuts of the mind

Because habits sit in the impulsive part of our brain, they don’t require much cognitive input or mental energy to be performed.

In other words, habits are the mind’s shortcuts, allowing us to successfully engage in our daily life while reserving our reasoning and executive functioning capacities for other thoughts and actions.

Your brain remembers how to drive a car because it’s something you’ve done many times before. Forming habits is, therefore, a natural process that contributes to energy preservation .

That way, your brain doesn’t have to consciously think about your every move and is free to consider other things – like what to make for dinner, or where to go on your next holiday.

Read more: 'What shall we have for dinner?' Choice overload is a real problem, but these tips will make your life easier

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Three Ways to Get Your Subconscious to Help You Solve Problems

Your subconscious is a powerful problem solver.

But it stays quiet while your conscious mind is engaged. Sometimes the answer to a difficult problem comes to you out of nowhere. It just seems to appear in your mind. This is the subconscious giving you the answer.

Here is how you can tap into your subconscious more regularly.

Go to sleep.

You may have heard the expression, “You need to sleep on it,” when it comes to a hard problem.

Sleeping puts the conscious mind to the side and the subconscious takes over. It works thru the problems you have been keeping in your mind. Often I have worked on a problem for hours, go to sleep and almost instantly when I look at it again the next day I see the solution.

When you are facing a difficult problem, make sure you get a good night’s sleep for your best chance at solving it.

Go for a walk with no distractions.

The key here is no distractions.

Ideally this would be a walk thru nature. This takes you away from the stress and pressure that is keeping your mind from being creative. It is important that you do not engage your conscious mind and allow it to rest. No phone, no music with words, just good breathing and walking.

Something about a nice walk lets you access better problem solving.

I am not talking about the “clear your mind of thoughts” kind of meditation.

We are not going for spiritual enlightenment. We are trying to access the problem solving power and speed of our subconscious. The best way I have heard it described was by Tom Bilyeu saying it was like “hanging your body in the closet” while letting your subconscious work.

The idea is to sit with your eyes closed in a quiet or white noise filled room and let your mind sift thru the thoughts cluttering it. If you have not engaged in a meditation practice regularly this may take some time to become effective.

I recommend the method described in the book “Stress Less Accomplish More” by Emily Fletcher.

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Solving Problems With the Subconscious Mind

“Each one of us has all the wisdom and knowledge we ever need right within us. It is available to us through our intuitive mind, which is our connection with universal intelligence.” – Shakti Gawain

The subconscious mind carries infinite wisdom and knowledge, accumulated from a lifetime of learning. A myriad of detail that would baffle the conscious mind are stored within the subconscious. When you did not yet know how to speak, your subconscious mind was already absorbing information like a sponge.

By learning how to access the realm of the subconscious, literally any problem can be solved with minimal conscious effort.

Most renown scientists, writers, composers, and historical figures attribute their success to the power of the subconscious. They all maintain that the solutions appeared, not when they were working on the problem consciously, but when they were engaged in some ”mindless” activity. People who frequently tap into the subconscious for answers, know there is no such a thing as impossible.

Accessing Power of The Subconscious

There are a few simple methods that will activate the problem solving wheels of the subconscious mind. Once you know how to use them efficiently, you have the potential to become your own oracle on demand.

Sleeping, walking, painting, playing an instrument; or any kind of physical activity that does not require concentrated thinking, is effective for shutting off the conscious mind. The subconscious is always working – whether you are asleep or awake.

THE TWO METHODS I USE:

1. Ask yourself a question and sleep on it.

This may seem ridiculously simple but works like a charm. Any problem that you think is impossible for you to solve consciously can be left to the subconscious mind to work out, while you’re asleep.

Often the answer appears out of the blue, when we’re not focused on the problem or question consciously. The process, however, is always started by the conscious mind, and then handed over to the subconscious to work out.

Repeating the question is necessary, in order to instill it deep enough into the conscious mind, for the subconscious to take a note of it. The reason why repetition is the mother of all learning, is because it drills it into the subconscious mind. (This is also why addictions are so hard to break).

Think of your conscious mind as the program, and the subconscious as the software. All the rules, behaviors and actions are programmed from the software, but carried out by the program. Your subconscious controls your conscious mind.. unless of course you learn how to harness the power of the subconscious and make it work for you, consciously.

Another point to note when asking your subconscious mind for an answer, is that you need to use willpower. Repeating the question alone will work, eventually, but using the power of your will speed things up considerably. This sends out the message of urgency to your subconscious, letting it know you really need the help.

Whenever I’ve used this method, nearly each time, I’ve received the answer the following day, and frequently through a dream.

2. Spontaneous writing

To use this method all you do is write – without any censorship. Just scribble down all the thoughts, words and associations that come to mind regarding the question. Do not think or process yet – just write. Whatever comes out is fine, do not try to make sense of it yet – just let it stream.

Then, perhaps several hours later or even the next day, review everything you’ve written and derive some meaning out of it. The solution may come from an angle you were not expecting, so keep an open mind.

You may have heard of automatic writing. Spontaneous writing is not that different from automatic writing. Both entail shutting off the conscious mind to invite in the stream of the subconscious.

My late grandmother once wrote an entire book with automatic writing. Somehow she was able to shut off her conscious mind and receive information about distant family lineage, that she had no way of knowing, consciously at least.

When you’ve experienced the power of the subconscious first hand, there is no more reason to be spooked out by this phenomena.

I’ve written some of my best sentences when I wasn’t thinking straight. Most poets and writers who use spontaneous writing or “subconscious writing”, will tell you that it is the only way to come up with a true masterpiece.

Regular journaling is also an effective tool for receiving information from the subconscious. When we journal, we are usually relaxed and not really trying to work out a problem consciously. This is helpful for unleashing the hidden stream of knowledge.

You Already Have the Answer..

Whatever the dilemma you are faced with, know that you already have the answer. All you need to do is draw it out from the subconscious. Most people do not know that they hold this vast storehouse of knowledge within, and therefore do not look to it for answers, at least not consciously.

Once you learn how to use the subconscious mind, your life becomes easier and you are not really that faced when problems arise.

The answer from the subconscious mind may come in a dream, so pay attention to your dreams.

You may also stumble upon the answer “by accident” while working on something menial and unrelated.

By the way, to effectively use the power of the subconscious you must have faith in its existence and abilities.

This article was written in 2010.

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Amit Sareen

I would love to have a couple of points clarified, if you could please. I shall be really grateful to you throughout my life for this.

The process, however, is always started by the conscious mind, and then handed over to the subconscious to work out. I am unable to get your point. Could you make it clear for me by explaining in detail as to how the problem solving process is initiated by our conscious mind.

With regards & in highest vibration of love,

Thank you for reading Amit. You can actually talk to your subconscious mind via your conscious mind. It records everything. It helps to write your questions down. Blessings!

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The Basics of Conscious mind and Subconscious mind

The human mind is an enigma, a complex labyrinth of thoughts, emotions, and untapped potential. At the heart of this mystery lie two powerful entities: the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. Understanding these aspects of your mind is akin to holding a map to navigate your inner world, enabling you to harness their potential and transform your life. This article delves into the basics of what the conscious mind and subconscious mind are, explores the difference between conscious and subconscious mind, and unveils the profound power of conscious and subconscious mind.

What is Conscious Mind and Subconscious Mind:

The conscious mind is like the part of an iceberg you can see above the water. It’s all about what you’re aware of at this moment. When you’re thinking about what to eat, deciding on a movie to watch, or solving a math problem, you’re using your conscious mind. It’s in charge of things like making decisions, reasoning, and all the thoughts you’re actively focusing on.

The subconscious mind, on the other hand, is like the much larger part of the iceberg that’s hidden underwater. It holds all your past experiences, memories, emotions, and habits that you’re not actively thinking about right now. It’s working in the background, controlling the things you do automatically, like breathing and your heartbeat, without you having to think about them. It also influences your feelings and the decisions you make without you realizing it.

So, when we talk about “what is conscious mind and subconscious mind,” we’re looking at the conscious part as the controller of your immediate thoughts and actions, and the subconscious part as the deep, underlying force that shapes your feelings, reactions, and habits.

Difference Between Conscious and Subconscious Mind:

Firstly, the conscious mind is like the captain of a ship, aware and in control of what’s happening right now. It’s where you do all your thinking and planning. If you’re deciding what to wear, figuring out a puzzle, or just choosing what to eat, that’s your conscious mind at work. It deals with logic, reasoning, and the tasks you’re actively focusing on. In contrast, the subconscious mind is like the crew below deck, running things without the captain’s direct involvement. It stores all your memories, feelings, and learned habits. It controls the automatic stuff, like breathing and dreams, and influences your emotions and desires without you even realizing it. This is a major difference between conscious and subconscious mind.

Another difference between conscious and subconscious mind is in how they process information. The conscious mind processes one thing at a time, like reading a book or solving a math problem. Meanwhile, the subconscious mind can handle many tasks at once. It’s always on, even when you’re asleep, processing emotions, memories, and even solving problems in the background.

The third difference between conscious and subconscious mind lies in their impact on behavior. Your conscious mind makes choices based on current information and logical reasoning. But your subconscious mind has a more profound influence, guiding your behavior based on past experiences and deep-seated beliefs. Even when you think you’re making a conscious decision, it’s often your subconscious mind pulling the strings, based on patterns and learned behaviors from your past.

Understanding the difference between conscious and subconscious mind is crucial because it helps us see why we might act a certain way without thinking about it, or why changing habits can be hard. It’s a dance between the part of our mind we control and the part that controls us without us noticing. By learning about these differences, we can start to understand how to better influence our subconscious, align it with our conscious goals, and ultimately lead a more intentional and fulfilling life.

The Conscious Mind: The Gatekeeper of Your Thoughts

The conscious mind is your awareness at the present moment. It’s where you make decisions, think critically, and are aware of your environment. When you’re solving a math problem, deciding what to eat for dinner, or simply reading this article, you’re using your conscious mind. It processes thoughts, feelings, and actions that you are aware of and can control. The conscious mind is often compared to the tip of an iceberg, representing a small part of your mental capacity that’s visible and accessible.

The Subconscious Mind: The Hidden Force

Beneath the surface lies the subconscious mind, a vast and powerful entity that stores your beliefs, memories, experiences, and the countless pieces of information you’ve encountered throughout your life. It controls automatic functions like breathing and heart rate, influences emotions, and governs habits. The subconscious is the bedrock of your desires and fears, operating below the level of conscious awareness. It’s the scriptwriter of your dreams and the silent influencer of your daily decisions.

The interplay between the conscious and subconscious mind shapes your reality. The conscious mind sets goals, makes plans, and uses willpower, but it’s the subconscious mind that can often be the gatekeeper to achieving those goals. By aligning the power of conscious and subconscious mind, you can tap into a wellspring of creativity, motivation, and persistence.

Practical Steps to Bridge the Gap:

• Affirmations and Visualizations: Regularly affirming your goals and visualizing your success can program your subconscious to align with your conscious intentions, making it easier to achieve your objectives.
• Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices help you become more aware of your conscious thoughts and feelings and can be used to gently steer the subconscious in a desired direction.
• Repetitive Learning: The subconscious learns through repetition. Consistently feeding it positive thoughts and outcomes can reshape your beliefs and habits.

The Impact on Personal Development:

Understanding and working with both your conscious and subconscious mind can lead to profound personal development. It can enhance your ability to learn new skills, improve memory retention, increase creativity, and overcome fears or limiting beliefs. The conscious mind plans the seeds of success, but it’s the subconscious that nurtures these seeds to fruition.

The Scientific Basis:

Research in psychology and neuroscience has begun to uncover the intricate ways the conscious and subconscious mind interact. Studies using neuroimaging techniques like FMRI and EEG have shown how different parts of the brain are activated when engaging in tasks that require conscious thought versus those that tap into the subconscious. This scientific exploration underscores the potential of integrating the power of conscious and subconscious mind for emotional and psychological well-being.

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Overview of the Problem-Solving Mental Process

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

• Identify the Problem
• Define the Problem
• Form a Strategy
• Organize Information
• Allocate Resources
• Monitor Progress
• Evaluate the Results

Frequently Asked Questions

Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing, and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.

The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the unique situation. In some cases, people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factual knowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight are the best options.

It is not necessary to follow problem-solving steps sequentially, It is common to skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the desired solution is reached.

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is often important to follow a series of steps. Researchers sometimes refer to this as the problem-solving cycle. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution.

The following steps include developing strategies and organizing knowledge.

1. Identifying the Problem

While it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless.

Some strategies that you might use to figure out the source of a problem include :

• Asking questions about the problem
• Breaking the problem down into smaller pieces
• Looking at the problem from different perspectives
• Conducting research to figure out what relationships exist between different variables

2. Defining the Problem

After the problem has been identified, it is important to fully define the problem so that it can be solved. You can define a problem by operationally defining each aspect of the problem and setting goals for what aspects of the problem you will address

At this point, you should focus on figuring out which aspects of the problems are facts and which are opinions. State the problem clearly and identify the scope of the solution.

3. Forming a Strategy

After the problem has been identified, it is time to start brainstorming potential solutions. This step usually involves generating as many ideas as possible without judging their quality. Once several possibilities have been generated, they can be evaluated and narrowed down.

The next step is to develop a strategy to solve the problem. The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences. Common problem-solving strategies include heuristics and algorithms.

• Heuristics are mental shortcuts that are often based on solutions that have worked in the past. They can work well if the problem is similar to something you have encountered before and are often the best choice if you need a fast solution.
• Algorithms are step-by-step strategies that are guaranteed to produce a correct result. While this approach is great for accuracy, it can also consume time and resources.

Heuristics are often best used when time is of the essence, while algorithms are a better choice when a decision needs to be as accurate as possible.

4. Organizing Information

Before coming up with a solution, you need to first organize the available information. What do you know about the problem? What do you not know? The more information that is available the better prepared you will be to come up with an accurate solution.

When approaching a problem, it is important to make sure that you have all the data you need. Making a decision without adequate information can lead to biased or inaccurate results.

5. Allocating Resources

Of course, we don't always have unlimited money, time, and other resources to solve a problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, you need to determine how high priority it is.

If it is an important problem, it is probably worth allocating more resources to solving it. If, however, it is a fairly unimportant problem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources on coming up with a solution.

At this stage, it is important to consider all of the factors that might affect the problem at hand. This includes looking at the available resources, deadlines that need to be met, and any possible risks involved in each solution. After careful evaluation, a decision can be made about which solution to pursue.

6. Monitoring Progress

After selecting a problem-solving strategy, it is time to put the plan into action and see if it works. This step might involve trying out different solutions to see which one is the most effective.

It is also important to monitor the situation after implementing a solution to ensure that the problem has been solved and that no new problems have arisen as a result of the proposed solution.

Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies .

7. Evaluating the Results

After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment.

Once a problem has been solved, it is important to take some time to reflect on the process that was used and evaluate the results. This will help you to improve your problem-solving skills and become more efficient at solving future problems.

A Word From Verywell​

It is important to remember that there are many different problem-solving processes with different steps, and this is just one example. Problem-solving in real-world situations requires a great deal of resourcefulness, flexibility, resilience, and continuous interaction with the environment.

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You can become a better problem solving by:

• Practicing brainstorming and coming up with multiple potential solutions to problems
• Being open-minded and considering all possible options before making a decision
• Breaking down problems into smaller, more manageable pieces
• Asking for help when needed
• Researching different problem-solving techniques and trying out new ones
• Learning from mistakes and using them as opportunities to grow

It's important to communicate openly and honestly with your partner about what's going on. Try to see things from their perspective as well as your own. Work together to find a resolution that works for both of you. Be willing to compromise and accept that there may not be a perfect solution.

Take breaks if things are getting too heated, and come back to the problem when you feel calm and collected. Don't try to fix every problem on your own—consider asking a therapist or counselor for help and insight.

If you've tried everything and there doesn't seem to be a way to fix the problem, you may have to learn to accept it. This can be difficult, but try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and remember that every situation is temporary. Don't dwell on what's going wrong—instead, think about what's going right. Find support by talking to friends or family. Seek professional help if you're having trouble coping.

Davidson JE, Sternberg RJ, editors.  The Psychology of Problem Solving .  Cambridge University Press; 2003. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511615771

Sarathy V. Real world problem-solving .  Front Hum Neurosci . 2018;12:261. Published 2018 Jun 26. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00261

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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How To Get Answers From Your Subconscious Mind (10 Proven Methods)

October 4, 2023 · Inspiration , Lifestyle , Productivity

Our subconscious mind houses many of our desires and fears. It serves as a unique repository of wisdom and insight. Personally, I find the subconscious to be a very underutilized resource. When harnessed correctly, you can use your subconscious to solve problems and work on your own personal growth.

It can be difficult to find the answers from our subconscious when we’re clouded by the hustle-bustle thoughts of daily life. But, the depths of our mind hold a wealth of knowledge that can help us find the answers we need.

Today, I’ll share my favorite ways of tapping into the subconscious mind. You can use these methods to gain insight into your own depths and unleash the potential within.

1. Meditation

Meditation is probably the most well-known and respected method of calming your thoughts and tapping into your subconscious. In fact, meditation has numerous benefits that can help you in your daily life as well.

By focusing your mind, you allow your subconscious to come to the forefront and process information. This can lead to all sorts of “aha” moments. If you have never tried meditation before, I highly suggest you give it a try. There are many free resources online and books on meditation to help you get started. You can even throw on a free 10-minute guided meditation on YouTube.

Meditation apps:

• Waking Up With Sam Harris

2. Journaling

I love journaling and I find it to be a bit of a meditative process. Writing down your feelings, daily thoughts, and even your dreams at night can help you access your subconscious mind. Bringing these feelings to the surface allows us to analyze them in new ways.

You can also use your journal to ask yourself questions and receive new insights from the depths of your mind. This is what journaling prompts are for. If you’re not into writing, you can also create an art journal which can help you access this information as well. There are so many types of journals to choose from.

Many people find they journal better on a computer or phone. Writing is a slower process and if you find your thoughts are often racing, you may have an easier time typing them out. The of “free writing” is also known as “stream of consciousness writing”. This is exactly what it sounds like. Free writing without any judgement or editing. And, it can be a very useful tool for analyzing our own mind.

Popular journal prompts:

• Journal prompts for processing emotions
• Journal prompts for self-discovery
• Journal prompts for connecting with your inner child

3. Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you manifest your desires. By creating these mental images, we’re making somewhat of a “blueprint” for our subconscious. We can steer our thoughts and align our actions with the desired outcome. When we practice visualization, we may notice new thoughts come to the surface. These thoughts can help us gain a better understanding of our true desires. Learn how to create a vision board here .

4. Intuition

Our intuition is our inner voice that helps guide us towards making the decisions that feel right for us. It’s a gut feeling that tells us to take a particular action (or avoid a situation). Our intuition is connected to our subconscious mind.

It’s a valuable resource that can help aid us towards insight and clarity. By practicing mindfulness and trying to stay more present in the moment, we can better learn to tune into our intuition and trust ourselves.

5. Dream analysis

Analyzing our dreams can be very eye-opening. In fact, some people consider our dreams a direct line to our subconscious thoughts and feelings. Have you ever dreamt of an angry cat or a swimming in a deep pool ? These dreams may mean more than you think! Keeping a dream journal is very helpful, as it is easy to forget your dreams.

Often, the images are most clear when you first wake up. You may also want to keep a voice recording app handy. I find that dreams can slip away in less than a minute. So, be sure to record all the details you can right when you wake up. This will allow you to better peer into the depths of your dreams and explore their possible meanings.

Expressing ourselves creatively can help us draw out all sorts of subconscious thoughts and feelings. Painting, drawing, doodling or even sculpting are all fantastic creative outlets. If you need help getting in touch with your creative side, these tips will help .

7. Sensory Deprivation

Float tanks (also known as sensory deprivation pods ) eliminate all external distractions. This allows us to connect deeper with our subconscious mind. If you have a float tank studio near you, you may want to give it a shot. Without the external noises of the everyday, we can quiet our minds and tap into thoughts that can be very revealing.

Floating tanks or sensory deprivation pods can eliminate distractions, allowing for a deeper connection with your subconscious mind.

8. Walking in nature

Getting outside and walking in nature is very therapeutic. In fact, I consider it a very meditative experience. It’s one of my favorite ways to connect with myself and explore my internal dialogue. The best thing about walking in nature is how accessible it is.

You don’t need to go far – just find a trail or pleasant place to spend a couple of ours. Surrounded by the sounds of nature, you’ll find yourself naturally at ease and able to tap into your thoughts more clearly.

9. Exercise

Yoga incorporates stretching along with mindfulness for a unique, relaxing experience. As far as exercise goes, I find it is one of my favorite ways to clear my head. Other people prefer running, biking or jogging.

At first, you may not think that exercise is a good way to clear your thoughts and relax. But, its a great way to unwind. I also like to take a few minutes after exercising to practice deep breathing and stretching. I find that as my heart rate slowly comes down, my mind is a lot more calm and clear.

10. Therapy

Talking to a professional about our thoughts, fears, and desires can be a great way to access hidden parts of our mind. In fact, you can often learn a lot about yourself just by speaking with a friend or family member. Many therapists are trained to help us dive into our minds to work through problems and find the answers we’re looking for.

Online therapy resources:

• Better help
• Grow therapy (accepts insurance)

Our subconscious mind is truly a powerhouse of information and useful knowledge. This can help guide us towards accomplishing our goals. I also find that my subconscious is full of creative thoughts. By practicing some of the methods above, we can tap into the depths of our thoughts and unleash potential we were never previously aware of.

It’s easiest to start small and incorporate these practices into a daily routine. For example, you can journal for 5 minutes a day before bed, or meditate when you first wake up in the morning.

Our subconscious is always working behind the scenes. All we need to do is learn how to access it and bring these thoughts to the surface.

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