(WAIT is exactly that. Not repression. Not denial. But a gentle pause with awareness.)

As most of you know , that I usually share my own experiences and thoughts in my Sunday blog, why I share it, is because I feel that, as I feel, so would be many around me be feeling. Feeling to be heard and to be understood , some by their parents, some by their spouse, some by their kids, some by their peers, some by their friends and most by their bosses (lol). Most of us have experienced life’s highs and lows, by being called as the achiever, the lover, the spiritual seeker, the wanderer, the broken soul, and the healer. And most of us in our quietest of moments – while sipping chai/coffee or a glass of wine, or driving through traffic, or simply lying on back staring at the ceiling – would have noticed something that never leaves us.

Our THOUGHTS….

Some days they feel like a flood – unrelenting, confusing, illogical, and often destructive. Other days, they bring immense clarity and peace. But regardless of what they are, they just… keep coming. And that brings me to this simple yet powerful concept that changed how I see myself and my inner world:

WAIT – What Am I Thinking?

Most of us go through life reacting to our thoughts as if they are truths carved in stone. But the deeper spiritual truth is – you are not your thoughts.

And yet, thoughts shape our reality. From spiritual teachings to neuroscience, we now know that our consistent thoughts generate energy patterns, influence our actions, and eventually manifest into our circumstances.

So if we are creating with our minds, why don’t we just think positive, right?

If only it were that simple.

As a researcher I went across and researched some papers on this and found The 90-Second Rule: Thoughts Don’t Last Forever

Neuroscience has shown that a typical thought-induced emotion (anger, anxiety, shame, fear) lasts only 90 seconds – unless we choose to re-engage with it. This is powerful.

Here are five research insights that support this:

1. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, discovered through her work on brain activity and emotional processing that “an emotion lasts just 90 seconds from the moment it’s triggered until it runs its course.” After that, it’s our choice to keep it alive.
2. A 2007 study in “The Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience” found that emotions from thoughts quickly dissipate unless fed by mental rumination.
3. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) studies by Jon Kabat-Zinn emphasize that when we observe rather than resist thoughts, their charge decreases in under 2 minutes.
4. A 2011 paper in “Consciousness and Cognition” showed that meta-awareness (awareness of thoughts) leads to quicker emotional regulation.
5. Dr. Daniel Goleman, in his work on Emotional Intelligence, highlighted that thought-emotion loops can be interrupted by simple observation, reducing their impact in under 90 seconds.

So, every anxious spiral, every self-critical loop, every jealousy spike – is optional after 90 seconds. Isn’t that wild?

Then Why Can’t We Just Stop It?

Here’s the truth that no productivity guru wants to say aloud: you can’t control your thoughts.

They arise from a combination of past experiences, subconscious conditioning, sensory triggers, memories, and energy states. Trying to control them is like trying to stop the wind.

What’s possible, though, is conscious witnessing.

This is where WAIT – What Am I Thinking? – becomes more than a question. It becomes a practice.

When you pause and observe your thought, you immediately create distance between you and the thought. This distance is where power lies. The power to respond, redirect, or simply let it dissolve.

Manifestation and the Universe: Does It Really Hear Our Thoughts?

This is where many people get confused. They try to use positive thinking like a magic trick:

“I’ll only think abundance, and I’ll get money.”

“I’ll imagine love, and my soulmate will appear.”

But here’s the deeper truth: The Universe doesn’t respond to thoughts. It responds to vibration.

And your dominant vibration is not what you think occasionally – it’s what you feel consistently.

So, if I say “I’m abundant” while thinking, “But I’m broke and scared,” the vibration I’m emitting is still fear and lack.

Here’s where WAIT changes the game.

Instead of forcefully changing thoughts, we gently ask, “What am I thinking?” Then we explore, feel, release. Over time, our dominant state shifts from fear to calm, from anger to acceptance, from scarcity to gratitude.

This is true manifestation – not bypassing negative thoughts, but transmuting them with awareness.

My Journey with WAIT: My own Story

A few years ago, I was sitting alone in a new city I had just moved to. Relationships were messy. Health was fragile. Financial stability seemed far away. My thoughts were harsh:

“You made bad choices.”

“You’re too old to start over.”

“You’re just not enough.”

But one day, I came across the WAIT practice through a mindfulness coach. I started journaling: What am I thinking? Just that. No drama. No shame.

I saw the pattern: old wounds, echoing fears, societal conditioning. The voice in my head wasn’t mine; it was a collection of what I had picked up and internalized over decades.

By practicing WAIT daily – during walks, in traffic, before sleeping – I began to disidentify from these voices. They came. I watched. I breathed. I didn’t engage.

Eventually, I felt lighter. Calmer. More trusting. My vibration shifted. Unexpected opportunities showed up. Friendships deepened. Finances stabilized. Inner peace became more accessible.

This felt magical.

This was conscious thought hygiene.

Thoughts are like weather – ever-changing, sometimes stormy, sometimes clear. But you are the sky. You are the ever-present, spacious awareness behind all that chatter.

So when your mind screams, pause and WAIT.

Ask: What Am I Thinking?

And in that moment, feel the soft whisper of your soul say: You are not broken. You are becoming.