Instructions:
Identify moments when you engage in the following negative thought patterns. Answer the questions below to reflect on your experiences and reframe your thinking.
1. Assuming
Definition: Assuming the worst without testing the evidence. Example: "They didn’t text me back, so they must not like me."
Describe a time when you assumed the worst:
What actual evidence do you have for and against this thought?
What is a more balanced way to view this situation?
2. Should Statements
Definition: Creating unrealistic or unachievable demands for yourself or others. Example: "I should run 10 miles every day."
Write a "should" statement you often tell yourself:
How does this statement make you feel?
What would be a more realistic and self-compassionate statement?
3. All-or-Nothing Thinking
Definition: Holding yourself to impossible standards of perfection. Example: "If I do not get all A’s on my report card, then I am a failure."
Describe a time when you engaged in all-or-nothing thinking:
Is this thought fair or realistic? Why or why not?
How can you acknowledge progress rather than perfection?
4. Overgeneralizing
Definition: Taking one experience and believing it will always happen. Example: "I didn’t get the job offer, so I will never get a job."
Write down an overgeneralizing thought you have had:
What evidence do you have that contradicts this thought?
What is a more realistic perspective?
5. Labelling
Definition: Using a single word to define yourself completely. Example: "I am a loser."
What is a label you have used for yourself?
What are some qualities or achievements that contradict this label?
How can you describe yourself in a more balanced way?
6. Unfavourable Comparisons
Definition: Comparing yourself negatively to others. Example: "I’ll never have a house as nice as theirs."
Describe a time when you made an unfavourable comparison:
How did this comparison make you feel?
What strengths or successes of your own can you focus on instead?
7. Catastrophising
Definition: Expecting the worst possible outcome. Example: "I made a mistake, now I will be fired and never find another job."
Write down a catastrophic thought you have had:
How likely is this worst-case scenario to happen?
What is a more balanced way to view this situation?
8. Personalising
Definition: Taking too much responsibility for negative events. Example: "If only I played better, we would have won the game."
Write about a time you personalized a situation:
What other factors contributed to this event?
What is a fairer way to view your role in the situation?
9. Making Feelings Facts
Definition: Believing that emotions reflect reality. Example: "I feel like they don’t like me, so they must not like me."
Write about a time you treated a feeling as a fact:
What actual evidence do you have for or against this thought?
How can you separate feelings from facts in the future?
By practicing these exercises, you can challenge negative thought patterns, reframe your thinking, and build a healthier sense of self-esteem.
Comments