Skill Builders

Keep your life goals in mind as you think about the following questions. Consider how negative, unrealistic thinking may have affected you or may be affecting your current ability to achieve your goals.

1. Think about a situation where you thought negatively about it and then think about how that might have prevented or now prevents you from reaching one of your goals.
2. How has negative, unrealistic thinking affected your progress toward your other goals?
3. One thing you can do is keep a “mood diary” over the next two weeks while you are completing this training. By keeping track of your mood you can become more aware of the thoughts, situations, and behaviors that make you upset. You will also see if your mood is improving.

We are going to use a scale of 1 to 7 to rate your mood. One is the most sad you have ever felt and 7 is the best you have ever felt. Think of specific days or experiences that match the numbers 1-7.

Also, try to count the number of positive things (in the “+” column) and negative things (in the “-” column) that happen to you each day and enter them in the column for each day. That way you can see how many good and bad things really happen to you.