Stress can come from your own thinking errors that can create a rather pessimistic and hopeless view of the future. Arguing with yourself can help you create a new perspective when you are thinking negatively, with a bleak picture that brings much unnecessary stress. Here are some useful challenges and quick questions to ask yourself:
“Am I over-reacting here?”
“Do I have any real evidence that my predictions will come true?”
“Haven’t I been wrong in the past about what I thought would happen?”
“Because something happened once or twice, does that mean it will always happen?”
“How can I tie my entire self-worth to one bit of failure or disapproval?”
“What advice would I give someone else who was thinking the way I am?”
“Most of the bad things I’m imagining probably won’t happen.”
“Accept uncertainty! There are lots of things in life you can’t control.”
“Don’t assume the worst!”
“Thoughts aren’t facts! You don’t always have to trust them.”
“I can come up with a new game plan to change things. Let me look at this differently.”
