The Vibration Method (so you catch “real” thoughts)
Set a phone reminder to buzz every 60–120 minutes during waking hours.
When it buzzes, capture whatever you’re thinking right then.
If you can write: jot the exact words.
If you can’t: use a voice note. Keep it raw and short (5–15 seconds).
Tag it on the spot (takes ~5 seconds):
Valence: Positive / Neutral / Negative
Time focus: Past / Present / Future
(Optional) Emotion: e.g., uneasy, steady, excited
Why it works: you’re sampling real, in-the-wild thoughts—without hijacking your day.
Open your notes and drop entries into a simple table:
| Timestamp | Thought (verbatim) | Valence | Time focus | Emotion |
|---|
Missed a few days? No drama. Catch up on the weekend in 15–30 minutes by batch-transcribing voice notes.
Valence ratio: % Positive / Neutral / Negative
Time tilt: % Past / Present / Future
Top themes: repeated words/phrases (“behind,” “they’ll judge me,” “excited to see friends”)
These reveal your default lens. Many people discover they’re future-tilted worriers (lots of “what if?” that never happens). Naming the pattern gives you a place to start.
Day 1–2 — Set the buzz + capture 4–6 samples/day. Do the nightly table.
Day 3 — Count your first ratios (even if tiny). What surprises you?
Day 4 — Pick one repeating negative line. Draft a kinder, truer replacement you’ll test (“I’m behind” → “One clear step now; review after”).
Day 5 — Attach the new line to the old trigger (calendar note, sticky on laptop).
Day 6 — Do one 10-minute action that proves the new line (ship a draft, ask clearly for help).
Day 7 — Weekly review (15 minutes): update your ratios; list 1–2 insights + the line you’ll keep next week.
Export to Sheets/Excel and total the month.
Label your month’s profile in one phrase: “future-tilted worrier,” “past-ruminator,” “present-steady”—whatever fits.
Choose one lever for the next month (e.g., “reduce future-negative by adding one ‘proof’ action after each alarm”).
Small and honest beats exhaustive and forced. Five real samples/day > 50 made-up “diary lines.”
If you’re tempted to over-analyze, stop at the tags. Observing calmly already weakens the loop.
If a sample carries a strong emotion, note it and add one slow exhale—no fixing required.
“I forget to log.” Put the buzz at natural transitions (after meetings, lunch, commute).
“Everything looks neutral.” Re-read and feel the moment you captured it—tag from the feeling, not logic.
“This spikes my anxiety.” Keep entries ultra-brief; add a one-line compassion cue: “It’s okay to notice.”
Your negative % drops, or stays the same while your actions get braver.
Your time tilt shifts toward Present (or Future with less dread).
You can name your common loops and meet them with a prepared line plus a tiny proof.
— Sandro Formica, PhD
Founder of Permanently Happy (questions at [email protected])
Keynote Speaker | Transforming Leaders & Organizations Through Positive Leadership & Personal Branding | Director, Chief Happiness Officer Certificate Program
Happiness Fundamentals | Needs | Values | Talents & Skills | Thoughts & Beliefs | Emotions | Empathetic Communication | Imagination | Life Purpose | Life Plan
