Stop a racing mind – Action Step 7

Directions for the  “2 For 1 Exercise”

This really powerful  technique can be used to stop stress and anxiety that is caused in the cognitive part of the stress cycle.  Cognitive exercises are used to change scary thoughts and negative predictions.

If you have ever found yourself with your mind racing with thoughts about a possible negative future outcome, or feel stressed about events that haven’t happened, use this technique to re-program these reactions.

It is true that this exercise will take a bit of work, in the beginning but with practice you will find it becomes an automatic habit where negative thoughts change to more helpful ones, almost without conscious work.

Review:  In Action Step Six you began to get ready for the “two for one exercise” by uncovering  negative thoughts and stories.

Action Step 7: Re-programming negative thoughts

Directions for The “2 for 1” exercise:

1.  For this exercise pick just one situation or event to focus on.

2. Think about any negative thoughts you have about this situation.

3. Write down any thought or “story” that moves through your mind and causes stress or other uncomfortable emotion.

4.  It is important to write down the thoughts and images that come to mind.  Putting them down on paper is an important part of this exercise.  When you write them down you won’t feel the need to keep going over them in your mind.

5. Begin to think of other possible outcomes that could also be possible.

6. Create alternative positive possible outcomes.  Write down as many other possible outcomes or “stories” as come up.

7.  Make sure you have at least 2 positive “stories” for each negative “story,” that you had written down.

8.  In doing this exercise you are programming your mind to think about other possibilities that could also be true.  Think about which stories or thoughts feel better to you.  Just doing this exercise opens up the mind to new positive thoughts, this will help to re-program the habit of negative thinking.