How To Avoid Forgetting and How To Actually Remember

How many times have you said to yourself “I don’t want to forget/do/say/bring/eat something” and you have still forgotten? I’m pretty sure many times.

You have said, “I don’t want to eat pizza anymore, I don’t want to meet this person anymore, I don’t want to smoke, curse… etc.”

So why is it happening that even though you repeat it many times you still forget it? 

Here’s the reason; 

We give our brain the wrong order. Our subconscious mind can’t process the word “don’t”. When we think about something our mind’s job is to create pictures in our head about whatever we think. Then comes feelings and emotions. Emotion is also a reaction to a thought.

Let Play a Game and Let Me Ask You Something

Don’t think about the first time you kissed a girl/boy, don’t think about the most delicious meal you have ever eaten, don’t think about the most beautiful place you have ever been, don’t think about the recent rejection you got from the person you love.

SEE? Even though I told you not to think about all those things your mind still made images in your head about all of it.

Our minds can’t create a picture around the word “don’t”.

Now that you see why it isn’t working let’s change it with what’s actually working.

If I want to remember about an important task I need to complete this is what I ask my mind “Please remind me to call my friend tomorrow at 3 pm” “I want to remember to bring the snacks for my son”, “I want to wake up at 6 am tomorrow so please wake me up at 6 am tomorrow morning”.

This way my mind has a clear image of what it should do. The body is a servant of the mind and the mind should be a servant of us. We have control over our minds we just need to give it the exact, clear, and right orders.

The most common mistake around this topic we make with our kids;

“Don’t paint on the couch, don’t look at that person, don’t talk to strangers, don’t have unprotected sex, don’t eat with your hands, don’t sit on the ground, don’t play with the food and etc.”

This is how we should say those things so it actually works; We have to tell them what they should do instead of what not to do

“please paint on the paper, Can you please look at me or at this thing instead of looking at that person? Talk only to the people that you know, please have protected sex, eat with your fork please, sit on the couch it is warmer, food goes into your mouth and then into your belly and etc.” 

It not only works for kids but for everyone for you, for your spouse, for your employees, family members, friends.

Instead of telling yourself and your surroundings what not to do, Start to tell yourself what you actually need/want to do.

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