Volunteering Going to public events Signing up for a class
Training your dog Teaching yourself a new recipe Reading a new book Learning some new yoga moves Signing up for a hobby class
Choose a movie to watch instead of asking for a second opinion. Do a solo hobby or activity that you enjoy. Make your own plans instead of relying on someone else.
Telling your mom that she has to call you before heading over to your apartment Politely declining a friend who asks you to see a movie you’re not interested in Explaining to a co-worker that you can’t switch shifts due to prior plans
Journaling is a great way to practice self-reflection in a more hands-on way. [7] X Research source
Exercising regularly and eating healthy Meditating Spending time with friends Doing a fun, relaxing activity
Instead of blaming your teacher for a bad grade on your test, accept the responsibility that you may not have prepared enough for the exam. Instead of blaming your parents for grounding you, accept that you shouldn’t have broken curfew. Instead of blaming a friend for the fight you had, own the negative emotions that you had in the moment.
Hopeful Statements: Practice self-compassion by looking at the glass half-full. You might say, “Even though this week is really hard, I’m strong enough to deal with whatever comes my way. ” Self-Forgiveness: Accept and forgive your mistakes instead of beating yourself up. Say something like, “I definitely messed up, but this mistake doesn’t define my worth as a human being. ” Learning Experiences: Treat all negative events as an opportunity to learn and grow. Tell yourself, “Tonight definitely didn’t go the way that I planned, but I won’t let it bring me down. What can I do in the future to make things better?” Thought Challenging: Analyze your negative thoughts and perceptions using the facts of the situation. Do your feelings hold up against reality, or are they inaccurate?
Staying on top of your emotions during tough situations Practicing mindfulness Paying closer attention to the nonverbal signals you give off Counteracting stressful situations with humor and laughter
Maybe your parents set the bar really high for you, and you felt like you had to constantly succeed to be worthy of their love attention. Remind yourself that every person has their own strengths and weaknesses and that your worth isn’t attached to your achievements. Maybe your childhood friend brushed you off in the past, and that experience made you feel like you weren’t worthy of other people’s attention. Try viewing this situation from a fresh perspective—maybe your friend was just busy at the time, or didn’t have the energy to hang out that day.
Emotion-focused therapy EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy Personal growth therapy Hypnosis
