Separate Fact From Fiction:
Some of your thoughts may have nothing to do with present reality and everything to do with fear and anxiety.
Here is a helpful acronym to remind yourself that thoughts are not facts.
FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real
Many of the things you tell yourself may be nothing more than negative predictions.
Common examples of what I call “negative predictions” are:
• “I won’t be able to do that.”
• “It won’t make any difference, so there is no point in trying.”
• “I will never find a loving partner.”
These “facts” are not facts at all: they are predictions about what may or could happen in the future. When your belief system is based on negative thinking, it limits your planning abilities, confuses decision making and keeps you from succeeding at your goals. To avoid this type of stress and fear-based thinking, you and I can talk about how to identify your negative predictions and distinguish them from present reality. You will be surprised at how quickly you will feel more relaxed when you can identify and manage well these types of thoughts.