We all have our own shower routine some of us like jamming out and busting out our karaoke skills while others like to take the time to reflect - and judging by the subreddit thread shower thoughts, there is some profound thinking that goes on between suds.
According to the group, a shower idea is "a miniature epiphany that makes the mundane more interesting. Maybe it's all the head scrubbing that knocks out these interesting thoughts, but if you are searching for life's meaning, the answer may be underneath your shower head." Scroll down below to check out more of these soapy epiphanies, and don't forget to upvote these genius ideas!
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While a lot of good and weird thoughts do come to us in the shower a 'shower thought' doesn't have to occur in the shower. The term has come to mean any idea you get while perform a mundane activity. Studies have shown that these epiphany moments usually occur in one of the 3 Bs - bathtub, bed or bus. Washington University psychologist R. Keith Sawyer, author of the new book Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation explains: "When we take time off from working on a problem, we change what we're doing and our context, and that can activate different areas of our brain. If the answer wasn't in the part of the brain we were using, it might be in another. If we're lucky, in the next context we may hear or see something that relates—distantly—to the problem that we had temporarily put aside.
A lot of funny shower thoughts are silly more than profound, but some famous discoveries have come between scrubs. In 1990 NASA scientists were trying to fix the lenses of the Hubble telescope while it was already in orbit. The engineer on the project Jim Crocker was taking a shower in a German hotel and noticed that the European-style shower was mounted on adjustable rods. That's when it hit him - Hubble's small mirrors could be extended into the telescope if they were mounted in a similar way on folding arms. You never know when clever ideas will hit!
What is it about the shower that makes it the perfect environment to think? Our brain releases its best ideas when dopamine is triggered, which can occur during a warm shower. At the same time we are in a relaxed state and thus more likely to reflect inward. Lastly we are distracted. Activities like washing the dishes or washing ourselves are so automatic that it give our brain a break and allows our subconscious time to play in a more creative way.
when being a parent you don't realize that watching your kid grow up, you are also growing up with them.
not for their entertainment. They are just picking the court fool for the queen
theres a fine line between condoning the bad and encouraging self esteem sometimes
That line is hard to find and even harder to explain.
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The difference is that the body positivity movement is a reaction to body-shaming, and body-shaming an overweight person at the gym (one of the most common ways) is more like going to an AA meeting and verbally abusing the participants for being alcoholics.
I am obese. I need to lose weight. I need to love my body and dress it to the best of my ability. I can and am doing all of these things at the same time. We need to spread this instead of the current either/or statements.
Here's the flaw in this argument: I don't think anyone is telling an overweight person not to lose weight. The point of body positivity is learning to love yourself regardless of what you look like. Nobody else has to like it or condone it, they just have to STFU about it.
As an overweight person who is slowly losing weight, I don't really agree with this. Saying you don't need to lose an ounce? Not helpful. Making fun of someone for being overweight or saying things like how that top would look great if they lost the belly (which is how most people choose to show their concern)? Even less helpful. Fun fact- you don't have to do high intensity exercise to lose weight. You just need to be active. So instead of commenting on their weight, add more walking into your activities together (just say you feel like walking) or encourage them to get a dog.
How old are you? I lost weight more easily when I was 45 years old and younger.
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alternatively ppl could just mind their own business and let others live life on their terms
I don't believe for a second I'm the minority in this, but my personal weight issues are largely due to very low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. When you think you're an ugly, worthless POS there's not much motivation to hit the gym, especially when you hear, read and see horror stories (and/or have personal experience) of a******s staring, snickering and snapping photos of you. When you don't care if you live or die, why not just grab that pizza which will momentarily make you feel good? I absolutely agree with the "telling to not lose weight" part, but f**k you very much if you think that means your condescending life style opinions are needed or wanted, unless specifically asked for. Majority of fat people know they're fat, you don't need to point out the obvious.
Oh absolutely this. I went in for help for the depression, low self-esteem and anxiety and the psychologist told me that if I just lost weight, it would fix all of my problems while totally ignoring the fact that at that time I didn't want to live, so her telling me that I was going to get diabetes or heart disease if I didn't immediately focus on weight loss was not something that motivated me to lose weight. I lasted 2 visits and then fired her as a therapist, but her words only enforce the message I have in my head that no one can see me as a person without fixating on my weight.
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You know, when there's an addiction there's some other reasons behind that. Bitchin about 'you have to' doesn't help much, maybe sometimes, but they're so rare people make posts about it... And, when someone is obese, people assume their health is bad, but no-one questions fitnesaddiction, which can be even more unhealthy
Not everyone who is overweight is addicted to food.
Load More Replies... Maybe the not to lose weight part, but it's wrong, wrong, wrong to judge an overweight person as someone with an eating disorder. I've struggled with my weight since I was 8 years old. I don't overeat more than many "normal" people do. I first tried to diet when I was 11. It takes extreme dieting and vigorous aerobics every day or 3 hours of yoga plus cutting out sugar for me to reach a MEDIUM size - from size 8-12, even size 25, depending on which store I go to. I am not obese, but I am heavy. Most people yhink I look fine. Bit even at my thinnest, I still thought I was overweight. I know many people
I hear your struggle...but extreme dieting might be causing more problems then you are aware of. For example...If you are eating very little and doing "vigorous aerobics" everyday that is not a good combination. You are pushing your body and giving it very little nutrition. The bodies response is to slow your metabolism to a crawl so it can get as much as it can from the very little food you are taking in (remember you are pushing your body). If you stop that "vigorous" activity, your metabolism remains very slow and you will gain back all and probably more of the weight you shed with "extreme dieting". Another example would be all of those people of that show The Biggest Loser. Something like 90% of them gained back the weight plus more (probably why the show isn't on anymore). Extreme dieting + regular intense workouts do not produce lasting results. When you push your body more, you need to eat more (and more times a day) for your metabolism to speed up (and conversely lose weight. still need to be in a caloric deficit though). Also must eat healthy (sugar is enemy #1 with weight) and be aware of portion control. Finally, I would think about incorporating some weight lifting into your routine. Muscle burns something like one and a half times more calories then fat does on the body (just being idol and sitting there). Having more muscle on your body will also help you lose weight, but will also change the aesthetics of your body. In honesty, the scale is a bad metric for how you want to look. Just a couple thoughts....
Load More Replies... Stop trying to claim you care about someone's health, when really you're just trying to justify your body shaming. If you actually cared about an obese person's health, you absolutely would tell them not to focus on weight, but instead focus on lifestyle. Exercising 30 minutes a day and switching to a diet shown to reduce chronic health problems (in people of all body sizes), like a plant-dominant or Mediterranean diet, is all you need to reduce the health risks correlated with obesity, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not cause immediate and rapid weight loss, so you are setting someone up for failure by telling them to focus on weight instead of health. Weightloss is an incredibly slow and frustrating process and it's unhealthy and ineffective in the long run to switch to unsustainable fad diets and extreme exercise programs that only lead to weight yo-yo-ing. Actual, evidence-based health care focuses on making sustainable lifestyle changes, not weight loss.
@Jen G. I don't know what is behind your anger, but in no way did I body shame anyone! Let's recap. Someone posted that the only way they could lose weight was with extreme dieting and extreme aerobic workouts (and was frustrated by it). I simply pointed out that is not a good combination for losing weight and sustaining a healthy lifestlye. I gave the reasoning behind it, and then some suggestions that are more beneficial to losing weight (if that's what they want to do). Your comment is stupid on many levels, but just to name a few. I never told anyone to focus on weight....in fact I went so far as to say weight (or the scale) is not a good metric. What you refer to as a "mediterranean diet" is only as good as the food you are putting in your body. There are plenty of mediterranean foods that are NOT conducive of a healthy lifestyle e.g. high in sugar, processed, saturated fat etc. etc. Nor did I ever recommend a specific diet...that would be foolish. All bodies respond differently.
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anyone who believes these two issues can be compared is way too far from the understanding of what alcoholism is and how overweight is developed... OH, and of course, the part of "what about taking care of your own life to not feel the deep need for meddling with other's existence?"...
But overweight people don't need to be told anything. Overweight people know they are overweight.
@Dorothy Parker...It is wrong to assume that even if someone knows they are overweight, that they know how to lose weight. More importantly, she stated that the only way for her to lose weight was by "extreme dieting and vigorous aerobics". Which is not a very good approach. In the US there are currently 10 states where 70% of the population is technically obese. Education is one of the leading reasons behind this! It may not be "radical news" to you, but it is relevant information. I was trying to be helpful...you on the other hand, just failed at even attempting to make a point with what I imagine you believe was clever sarcasm...nice try though.
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This is so true. Overweight people are constantly getting into accidents while driving because the fat diminishes their cognitive skills. Also when they are caught eating on the job they get fired on the spot. After eating a sandwich they obnoxious and belligerent to everyone around them. It's practically the same thing.
You forgot to mention all the obese people who resort to a life of crime, killing innocent old ladies for a Wurther's Original or working the corner for a piece of real cherry pie. And it seems like every day on the news in SoCal I hear about some fiended up fatty who has broken into a bakery or dulcería to get a sugar fix. Plus they are neglectful parents, selling their kids' toys for sacks of that pure white powder sugar, and leaving their kids at home to fend for themselves while they go to Vegas for the all you can eat buffets. The worst is the homelessness - on every street corner I stumble over some Jabba begging for a handout. Like I'm going to give them anything when I know they'll just waste it on a whole roasted chicken at Costco.
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If you think someone is beautiful. It may be in no way related to their weight and
Under no circumstances do you need to tell someone this. They know. You look like a jerk not a caring friend...cause you are a jerk.
No one is saying "don't lose weight". Telling someone they are ugly or unworthy of love because of their weight is unlikely to encourage weight loss.
The only people that should be telling anyone who is overweight to lose weight is medical professionals and themselves when they look in a mirror.
The mirror is an unreliable authority on weight, as anyone who has battled an eating disorder will tell you.
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Some people just don’t seem to see the line that separates condoning a dangerous lifestyle and encouraging people to feel beautiful
this is half true but it can vary in situations suchas if their weight is due to medical issues. it is a conversation that you must know all the facts before commenting.
@Paige S You are right that if there is an underlying medical condition/issue, the situation is completely different. The fact of the matter remains that the only thing I commented on what what the poster had specifically said...with giving tips and advice as to why that approach might have been part of the problem without her even realizing it.
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Yet telling a dangerously overweight person to lose weight and telling an alcoholic to stop drinking (particularly if they are strangers) the response should be "Mind your own damn business."
How about "Keep your f*****g mouth shut". People are all about choice until it's something they don't like. This kind of s**t is for your doctor to say and nobody else. Stop insulting people ffs. You have no idea why they look the way they do.
I hate dieting and it gets me frustrated. Sadly, I projected this on my daughter who now is overweight and doesn't want to diet because she has alsways seen how unhappy it made her mom. She thinks she feels good and happy and is content with her body. But her doctor keeps warning her for diabetes and heart disease. Now she's mad at him for pushing her into a diet.
Have you discussed it with her? I bet if you tell her what you wrote here and adopt a healthier lifestyle and do it in an enjoyable way (walks together, learning healthy recipes together), it will not feel like a chore. And, you'll be helping your daughter (and you) live a fuller, longer life!!
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If you feel like someone you know or have seen on apps or things etc. I believe it is much better to tell them politely that you think that their weight could and probably is effecting their health in a bad way, instead of saying things like "go get help fattie!". I'm sure they would appreciate it!
Why say anything at all? Did they ask you for your opinion!
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Making Any cracks about Anyone s weight or lack there of is totally unacceptable! Keep your BS opinions to yourself.
Well, no. I don't care for this at all. A person can be entirely beautiful no matter what their shape or size or health. Telling anyone to lose OR gain weight is not helpful unless you're their doctor and know how to do it without promptly losing that patient because you're not paying attention to the blood spurting out of the injury they came in to get help for. Seriously. This has happened to a number of my larger friends. Major injury and the doctor says, you need to lose weight. NOT the way to gain a person's trust or help them make the changes necessary to be more healthy!
Pretty sure people just say "you're beautiful" NOT "don't lose weight because you're beautiful"
There is a difference between someone who is carrying a few extra pounds and someone who is dangerously overweight. Overweight people don't need to be told they are beautiful, they need the world to stop treating them like they are worth less than people who are not overweight.
Most of the comments seem to be looking at this from a body shaming angle but the other side of this is that of people that decide to make a change and lose weight and get people telling them that they don't need to lose weight or treating them like they're crazy people that have an eating disorders because they're not happy being chubby, If you ever find yourself telling someone this, think for a second if you're helping someone feel better or discouraging someone from fulfilling their goal.
a) 180 lbs isn't 'Dangerously overweight' and there's more than two body types, okay and morbidly obese...thank you very much. b) body positivity doesn't discourage losing weight, it only discourages shaming people who are already trying to lose weight, for needing to lose weight...thank you very much. TFW Bored Panda forgot not to be ignorant again.
Not a huge fan of the show Friends, but I do like the episode where "fun Bobby" comes to visit, but now he's sober, his personality is changed completely. Clearly, he was self-medicating with alcohol. Once he was sober, it became evident that he needed professional help.
I think a lot of negative comments here are missing the difference between explicitly telling someone to lose weight and explicitly telling them *not* to lose weight 'because they're beautiful'. As a kinda overweight person myself I feel a bit weird about some of that 'body positivity' trend these days. Is it okay to call people fat and ugly? No, absolutely not. Can overweight people have legit reasons for being overweight? Yeah, absolutely. Moreover, unless they're taking your seat in addition to their own on the plane or something, it's none of your business. Can overweight people be beautiful? Absolutely. Is being overweight healthy? Hell no. So let's not encourage that. There's plenty of safe room between calling people fat and ugly and telling them to stay at their 150 kg because it's 'perfect just the way it is'. Let's not call life threatening stuff 'perfect', shall we?
Wow. This person runs around yelling at fat people. That's a sucky job.
it is sad when they are over 200 pounds, and as far as the drinker - anything that is causing harm or missing work is terrble
I think there's a big misconception that telling people they're beautiful is equivalent to saying "there's no need to lose the weight." That's not really the message, imo. The message is that you can and should love yourself regardless of weight. That you can be beautiful and bigger; that you don't have to hate yourself or think you're ugly just because you're fat. That's not the same thing as telling people it's okay to be at an unhealthy weight. People struggle to lose weight for so many (often complex, multi-factor) reasons. It's not okay to send the message that you're only allowed to have self-esteem AFTER you lose weight. The focus should be on health, not beauty, especially in a society with such unrealistic beauty standards (U.S.).
If they are beautiful, tell them that. But to tell them NOT to lose weight? Why would you do that?
Couldn't agree more. Chubby, curvy is okay but obese is not. As a fat person myself I never agree to say fat is beautiful, therefore continues to improve my eating and exercising habit (slow but sure it works).
I was overweight, got in shape and healthy and I most definitely agree with this!
Great for you, but I've known people who were obese for medical reasons, and you of all people should know not to judge others.
Load More Replies... eh, i don't know when or where this actually happens. telling someone they should lose weight is fine, but treating them as less human due to their appearance is not.
No it's not fine to tell someone to lose weight. It's their body and thus 100% not your business
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Sometimes to love yourself means losing weight, and being dissatisfied with the way you are.
Just lay it out there and be honest. The truth hurts sometimes but we all need to hear it from time to time. Like someone who blows through their savings because they don’t budget their money. It’s embarrassing to admit and/or bring to someone’s attention but someone who cares about you should be willing to step through the uncomfort-zone to help their loved one improve their quality of life.
I bet you're popular with your friends. People already know when they're fat & when they have spent too much money, and telling them doesn't help anything except to make them not want to be around you.
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Uhm no. Saying that would imply that beauty is all in a persons weight. Which is not even a little bit true: lots of skinny people are nasty a******s. Pretty to look at but nasty as persons. Beauty is not a size.
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I have literally never heard that phrase before in my life. Is it common?
I remember catching my reflection in my daughters eye when she was little and thinking I looked awful, then realizing she thought I hung the moon, anyway. ;)
The one about language really struck me, as I was chatting with my cashier at Wal Mart last week -- she was lamenting her English, although really it was quite good -- but as we were chatting she told me she was an accountant in her native country and has a degree in business management, but here (US) she is working at Wal Mart while she tries to improve her English. She was obviously intelligent and driven, she was definitely warm and friendly, and I can't help but wonder how many redneck idiots in my area treat her badly for her English when they go through her line. As much as I enjoyed talking to her, I really hope next time I'm in there I won't see her -- because I hope by then she'll be on to something where she gets the respect she deserves.
Must be truly frustrating to be highly educated in one country and finding yourself somewhere you initially struggle with the language.
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No they've cut these down! There's only 30 now. *shakes fist* damn you, bored panda gods!
My shower thought today: I am 100% more motivated to wake up when there is leftover pizza in the fridge. It's better than an alarm clock.
why does bored panda always delte a huge part of the list after they upload it. Like there were 120+ before now it's only 30
A copy paste of Minerva15's comment- For all of you wondering why the list was cut is because BP may have taken some of the submissions without the original posters consent, then they learned of this article and asked BP to remove their submission.
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If your eyes are shut in flash photos, you are literally faster than the speed of light.
The title said '154 Shower Thought...' but I only see #103. I feel like there's 51 shower-thoughts that are missing or lost...
It's down to 30 now, although they did change the tittle. A shame, but you can go to the actual sub reddit to read more of the responses if you like.
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I always found it kind of gross that when swimming in a pool with other people you are likely to accidentally drink some of the pool water. This water has touched every body part of everyone in that pool. Even if you don't drink it, it still gets in your eyes, ears etc.
That's right. Because dangerously overweight people have no idea that they are overweight without your commentary. And they don't deserve to feel beautiful by people who find overweight people attractive.
I heard that showering makes you creative because it ionizes the air. Don't know if there's real science behind it.
Where'd the rest (#31-#102) go? i was in the middle of reading em!
They're originally from Reddit, the original posters may not have felt comfortable of their comments being used for other purposes. I know this for a fact because Reddit often gets annoyed at Bored Panda for doing this.
Load More Replies... The one about language really struck me, as I was chatting with my cashier at Wal Mart last week -- she was lamenting her English, although really it was quite good -- but as we were chatting she told me she was an accountant in her native country and has a degree in business management, but here (US) she is working at Wal Mart while she tries to improve her English. She was obviously intelligent and driven, she was definitely warm and friendly, and I can't help but wonder how many redneck idiots in my area treat her badly for her English when they go through her line. As much as I enjoyed talking to her, I really hope next time I'm in there I won't see her -- because I hope by then she'll be on to something where she gets the respect she deserves.
Must be truly frustrating to be highly educated in one country and finding yourself somewhere you initially struggle with the language.
Load More Replies... No they've cut these down! There's only 30 now. *shakes fist* damn you, bored panda gods!
My shower thought today: I am 100% more motivated to wake up when there is leftover pizza in the fridge. It's better than an alarm clock.
why does bored panda always delte a huge part of the list after they upload it. Like there were 120+ before now it's only 30
A copy paste of Minerva15's comment- For all of you wondering why the list was cut is because BP may have taken some of the submissions without the original posters consent, then they learned of this article and asked BP to remove their submission.
Load More Replies... If your eyes are shut in flash photos, you are literally faster than the speed of light.
The title said '154 Shower Thought...' but I only see #103. I feel like there's 51 shower-thoughts that are missing or lost...
It's down to 30 now, although they did change the tittle. A shame, but you can go to the actual sub reddit to read more of the responses if you like.
Load More Replies... I always found it kind of gross that when swimming in a pool with other people you are likely to accidentally drink some of the pool water. This water has touched every body part of everyone in that pool. Even if you don't drink it, it still gets in your eyes, ears etc.
That's right. Because dangerously overweight people have no idea that they are overweight without your commentary. And they don't deserve to feel beautiful by people who find overweight people attractive.
I heard that showering makes you creative because it ionizes the air. Don't know if there's real science behind it.
Where'd the rest (#31-#102) go? i was in the middle of reading em!
They're originally from Reddit, the original posters may not have felt comfortable of their comments being used for other purposes. I know this for a fact because Reddit often gets annoyed at Bored Panda for doing this.
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