Interrogate Yourself
Imagine you are interviewing yourself, asking questions of yourself and getting honest answers. Only honest answers will help you to reach what you want, remember you canât lie to yourself like you can lie to others!
Write your answers on a separate piece of paper, or even better, record them as they happen on a Dictaphone and play them back when you feel better!! You will feel a lot different about them.
- How true is the negative thought? Is there a grain of truth in it? Is it 50% true? Or maybe 75% true?
- Is this thought consistent? If I would make allowances for a friend in a similar situation or with a similar history, then why not make allowances for myself?
- Would someone else look at it differently?
- Is this thought useful? Does it get me anywhere?
- Does this thought move me closer to or further away from achieving my goal?
- Is there another way of thinking that would help me better achieve my goal?
- Would another goal be more appropriate?
Some people fine it easier to write down their negative thoughts (âwhat was I thinking?â) at the time, and then try to write down more realistic and helpful thoughts.
