Remember Your A-B-C’s

Remember Your A-B-C’s

(Look for information on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

 

Activating event  à Which triggers…

Beliefs à Which leads to…

Consequences/Actions

Retrace what has happened and sort through the beliefs that have lead you to the actions you’ve taken so far. Often our erroneous beliefs take us down a path of behaviors and actions that have contributed to the problem(s) we find ourselves facing.

 

 

Now, substitute more effective beliefs about what’s going on

and take one step toward changing your actions in this situation, based on these new beliefs.

Here's a terrific worksheet to help you with this process:
http://www.stressgroup.com/ABCworksheet.html

And another website with awesome resources:
http://iveronicawalsh.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/a-thought-replacement-exercise-a-cbt-worksheethandout/

Is one of these irrational beliefs a part of what is happening for you?

Is one of these irrational beliefs

a part of what is happening for you?

 

1.       I must be loved, or at least liked, and approved by every significant person I meet.

2.       I must be completely competent, make no mistakes, and achieve in every possible way, if I am to be worthwhile.

3.       Some people are bad, wicked, or evil, and they should be blamed and punished for this.

4.       It is dreadful, nearly the end of the world, when things aren’t how I would like them to be.

5.       Human unhappiness, including mine, is caused by factors outside of my control, so little can be done about it.

6.       It’s easier to put off something difficult or unpleasant than it is to face up to it.

7.       I need someone stronger than myself to depend on.

8.       My problem(s) were caused by event(s) in my past, and that’s why I have my problem(s) now.

 

 
This website lists the 12 Irrational Beliefs of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) along with rational replacements: http://www.stressgroup.com/12IrrationalBeliefs.html

 

What beliefs would better serve you now?

Here's a great website with loads of resources:
http://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheets/cbt/none

Suspend Judgment

Suspend Judgment

For just a few minutes, become an observer of what is happening.

Look at it through a lens of suspended judgment and perhaps even compassion.

Take your next step with this in mind.

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/why-we-sometimes-choose-judgment-instead-of-compassion/

MY Part In This

MY Part In This

Ask yourself:  “What is happening here?”

“What is my part in it?”

“What is someone else’s role or part?”

“What is not in my – or any else’s – control?”

Take action on YOUR part.

You can’t control anyone else, so start with yourself.

It’s Only Information

It’s Only Information

Instead of focusing on the drama of what is happening now, think about it as INFORMATION.

Let go of the need to defend yourself, to justify or blame or explain, to agree or disagree.

(That is your ego speaking.)

Change your response to, “Isn’t that interesting information?”

(That is your higher self speaking. It generally has a neutral, calm energy.)

How does this inform your next step?

Focus on Self-Care

Focus on Self-Care

(See The Woman’s Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden)

What do you need to do to care for yourself right now?

Take 2 minutes to brainstorm as many ideas for your own self-care as you can.

What is one you could easily do right now?

Return to your current situation with a refreshed sense

of who you are and what you can accomplish.

Recall Another Success

Recall Another Success

Stop for a few minutes

and recall a time you successfully resolved a problem you were facing.

What’s a seed of a strategy from that solution that could help you now?