THE TROUBLE WITH THINKING

Powers unravels the mysteries of the human mind, examining how our perceptions, decisions and choices can sometimes complicate our relationships and lives.

Through comic moments, poignant stories, scientific research and keen insight into the human thought process, the author delivers a compact but thought-provoking analysis of how we become trapped in automatic thinking. Using an irreverent style, Powers builds a compelling set of arguments that eventually give rise to a common model we all use when we go on autopilot. Trapped in “Rat Brain Loop,” our thoughts spiral into negativity, which can generate misunderstandings, self-doubt and contentious interpersonal relationships. But we are not necessarily prisoners of our thoughts if we engage our brains, step outside the loop and take action–not from the familiar knee-jerk of the past, but from a position of cognitive empowerment. While all this may sound like familiar, new-age psychobabble, Powers expertly deflates any such criticism through her use of substantial documentation, scientific references and academic citations. She convincingly makes her case that when we go unconscious we jeopardize much in our lives. The good news is that we are not hostages of our bad habits. We can move beyond the constricting patterns that bind us and make informed and conscious choices, without handing our thought process over to autopilot. In a time when talk-show therapists promise quick fixes and self-help gurus promise the moon, it’s nice to know there are grounded solutions that empower people to take control of their lives through conscious action. Powers’ book supplies the tools and techniques we can all use to harness and direct our thinking, rather than allowing it to direct us.

Impeccably researched and masterfully written, a wholly practical manual for reversing negative thinking.