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The Happiness Trap Self-Consciousness TechniqueThe Happiness Trap (Russ Harris) is a book I read some time ago that talks about the limitations our own search for happiness can end up creating. In this article I would like to summarise a technique the book discusses in chapter 4: "The Great Storyteller", which introduces the idea that we tell ourselves stories about our own life that might not be accurate reflections of the truth.
Non-identification with thoughtsThe book picks a few examples of common thinking patterns that tend to become habitual. These patterns are presented as "I am X", where X is the thing that we are thinking. Instead of going along with this format of thinking, the author of The Happiness Trap suggests transforming the statement or how we perceive the thought to "I am having the thought that I am X". For example, take notice of a thought based on identification, such as "these clothes make me look bad", and transform that thought into the structure of "I am having the thought that these clothes make me look bad". Your consciousness is then experienced as separate from the thought. Instead of giving in to that identification, a distinct decision is made to separate the thought from the truth of the experience. Not all thoughts are true, but when we reinforce this same thinking format of "I am … (whatever the thought is)" it becomes a habit to confuse self image with thinking patterns. Realising that thoughts are not realities
These are the kind of techniques that are presented in the book. It also offers a lot of other strategies for releasing negative patterns that make it a thought provoking and practical read.
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