Exercise: Letting Intrusive Thoughts Pass

“Changing our relationship to our thoughts and emotions, rather than trying to change their content, is the key to healing and realizing our true potential,” - Steven C. Hayes

Studies estimate that our brains generate tens of thousands of thoughts every day. A significant portion of these are intrusive thoughts — fleeting, bizarre, or unwanted ideas. Just because you have a thought over and over, it does not mean it is a reflection of your desires or reality.

Intrusive thoughts occur spontaneously and may contain highly emotional content. The purpose of this exercise is to create distance between you and your thought(s) so that it's allowed to exist without you going along for a ride or entering its plot line.

Bus Visualization

Step 1: Close your eyes for a second and imagine the image of a bus. What do you see? What does the bus look like?

Go through the steps below if you find yourself experiencing intrusive thoughts.

Pause & Ground (10–20 sec)

Take a slow breath in… and out. Feel your feet on the floor or your seat supporting you. 

Notice & Name the Thought

Silently say: “I’m having the thought that ___.” (Fill in the exact intrusive thought. You’re labeling it as a thought, not a fact.

Imagine a Bus Arriving

Picture a bus pulling up in front of you. Maybe it looks like a yellow school bus from the US or a bright green one from Flixbus. 

Place the Thought on the Bus

Visualize the thought as an object (a card, a suitcase, a little sign). Gently set it on a seat. Go back on the sidewalk.

Let the Bus Leave

Watch the doors close. Hear the engine hum. See the bus pull away, getting smaller down the road. You are still here, safe, watching.

Return to the Present

Bring attention back to your body: feel your feet on the ground. Look around and describe one thing you can see or one thing you can touch.

If It Comes Back, Use the Next Bus

Thoughts can return. That’s normal. When it shows up again, place it on the next 

bus and let that one go too. The goal isn’t to erase the thought; it’s to not get on the bus. The thought is allowed to exist, but you don’t engage with it or go along for the ride. Instead, you stay where you are, grounded in the present moment, while the bus continues on its way.