Mindfulness of Thoughts… with a Little Help from Winnie the Pooh

Whenever I teach the DBT skill Mindfulness of Current Thoughts, there’s one image that always comes to mind—Winnie the Pooh.

He would be just the bear to be sitting eating a pot of honey quietly who would pause say in his slow, deep voice: “Ah… thinking.”

He’s never frantic. Nor judgmental. He’s not trying to problem-solve or change his thoughts.
He’s just… noticing.

And that, in essence, is exactly what Mindfulness of Thoughts is all about.

What is Mindfulness of Current Thoughts?

It’s the practice of simply noticing the thoughts that come into your mind—without clinging to them, judging them, or reacting to them. Just observing, as if watching clouds drift across the sky.

This DBT skill teaches us to see thoughts as just our neurons firing, not as facts, commands, or definitions of who we are.

You are not your thoughts.
You are the observer of your thoughts.

Why Pooh Bear Gets It Right

Pooh doesn’t judge his thoughts.
He doesn’t get swept up in them, or spiral into shame.
He just… notices.

Whether it’s, “I think I shall have a little something,” or “I wonder what Piglet is doing,” he brings a tone of curiosity and warmth.

And when his thoughts are a little muddled, or uncertain, he accepts that too.

That’s the spirit of Mindfulness of Thoughts.
Noticing. Naming. Letting go.

A Practice: What Would Pooh Do?

Next time your mind is busy—racing, spiraling, or just a bit sticky—pause.
Take a breath.

And with all the calm of my favourite bear, say:
“Ah… thinking.”

Notice it for what it is.
A thought. A blip in the mind.
A cloud passing by.

No need to fight it. No need to follow it.
Just observe it. With kindness.

Final Thought

Mindfulness of Thoughts is one of the most radical forms of self-compassion we can practice. Because it means we don’t believe everything we think.
We see the thought.
We breathe through it.
We let it go.

Winnie the Pooh may not have trained in DBT, but I think he’d be a wonderful poster bear for this skill.
Gentle. Present. Curious. And always kind.

By Dr Michelle Beukes-King