People who are thinking about "nothing" may be having stream of consciousness ideas that do not present a logical tale, according to Halassa. However, the brain never truly quits "thinking" in the broadest sense. It is just that some thoughts are conscious and some are not. Most people who say they can't think about anything specific probably mean that they don't pay attention to certain thoughts. For example, if you are trying not to think about a white bear, then you will eventually think about a white bear because your mind will want to connect with information it has before. This does not mean that you are unable to control your mind; you're just saying that it happens automatically sometimes. Controlling your mind by thinking about something else requires that you be aware enough of what your mind is doing so that you can change its direction. If you aren't paying attention to your thoughts, then you can't use this method to stop thinking about one thing and start thinking about another. It is also possible to use your mind for enjoyment instead of thinking about problems. For example, you could choose to imagine how a white bear would feel like touching you or smell like honey. With practice, you can use your mind for more positive purposes.