Fast Company Daily The ‘Blue Dolphin’ Rule: Stop negative thoughts with emotional intelligence
Oct 15, 2025
Explore the intriguing Blue Dolphin Rule, a technique backed by cognitive psychology that helps replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Discover why trying to suppress thoughts can actually backfire, leading to the 'White Bear Problem.' Gain practical tips on creating replacement thoughts and how to train your mind to focus on the helpful instead of the harmful. Emotional intelligence is the key to mastering your thoughts and fostering a healthier mental state.
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Stuck Song Example
- Justin Barriso describes getting a song stuck in his head as a familiar, unavoidable experience.
- He links this to the psychological white bear problem to illustrate why suppression fails.
Why Suppression Backfires
- Daniel Wegner's White Bear Problem shows suppression increases the frequency of unwanted thoughts.
- A monitoring process checks for the thought, which ironically keeps it active.
Thought Substitution As Regulation
- Thought substitution is an emotional regulation technique rooted in cognitive psychology.
- Practiced replacement can change your mindset and reduce harmful thought rebounds.
