Counselling Central

Have you ever found yourself thinking about a problem for days on end but still couldn’t come up with a suitable solution? You’re certainly not alone. So how do you get around this? The answer may be to stop thinking about it.

I know, I know, that sounds counter intuitive. We’re all taught that you have to think about problems and analyse them to the enth degree to find answers, but often people find that ruminating over difficult decisions or nagging problems just makes them feel worse. Quite often people find themselves solving problems at the most unusual times. The key is to put yourself in a place that encourages inspiration and creativity.

Think about Archimedes. He shouted “eureka!” when he found the answer to a problem he had been contemplating for a long time, but not while sat at a desk trying to solve complex equations – it was while getting into the bath. Einstein, one of the creative geniuses of the modern age, would find answers in moments of inspiration away from the work place, only afterwards applying analytical thinking.

The secret is to get back to your ‘foundation stage’. Your what? Think of your foundation stage as your conscious mind taking a holiday. To achieve this engage in activities that are different from your normal day-to-day, something physically challenging or pleasurable, but ultimately relaxing. Try immersing yourself in a creative and stimulating environment such as a museum, or an art gallery, or take a long walk in the countryside. The point is you don’t have to go to Fiji to get back to your foundation stage (although I’m not discouraging you).

Give yourself permission to let go for a while where it concerns the task, difficulty or challenge you are currently dealing with. You may just find the answer you have been searching for.