You can write your thoughts in the notepad below.
You can write your thoughts in the notepad below.
Recognising what we say to ourselves and changing it to more positive self-talk can be very powerful and significantly improve how we feel.
Here are some examples of the common thoughts people have when they feel under stress. Unfortunately, these same thoughts INCREASE how stressed we feel:
What unhelpful things do you say to yourself when you are stressed?
SITUATION – where were you, who were you with, what were you doing?
THOUGHTS - what were you saying to yourself at the time?
How did these thoughts make you feel?
How helpful were these thoughts?
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I take on responsibility, particularly for things going wrong even when a situation has nothing to do with me.
I tend to assume other people don't like me / think badly of me
I tend to assume that the worst will happen
I focus on / blow small things out of proportion
I tend to focus on the black side of things
Overlooking my strengths and focusing on my weak points
I overestimate the chances of bad things happening
I often say I "must", "should", or "have to". I want things to be just right / perfect
Use the following pages to help you identify some of your unhelpful ways of thinking about yourself, others and the future
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Here are some positive statements to practice saying to yourself daily:
What typical thoughts would you think if someone you knew walked past you on the street without acknowledging you or saying hello? Might they be something like this...
Can you think of another positive coping thought to balance the unhelpful thought "I’ll look like an idiot"?
Can you think of a different positive coping thought? You can write it in the box below:
Can you think of a different positive coping thought? You can write it in the box below:
Unhelpful Thought | Balanced Point Of View |
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Try to tackle any unhelpful thoughts by using the techniques from the exercises you have done in this workbook.
If you identify any unhelpful thinking, try to ask yourself: