Welcome to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Day (CBT) on the forums!

Two days a week will now be known as CBT day.

One day a Health Educator will launch a challenge. Members are encouraged to take on the challenge and post their results. A few days later a Health Educator will post specific tips and strategies to aid you in the way you look/interpret yourself and the way you view the world.
This week we had you track how many positive thoughts you were having each day. Below are some tips on how to increase those numbers. Enjoy!
•    Think about the strengths, skills and abilities you have that can help you in your situation. (This is particularly important if you have identified that you have a tendency to ignore the positive.)
•    Think about the external resources you can pull in to help. This might mean calling a taxi if you are late for a flight, or asking for some extra help if you are up against a tight work deadline, or having problems understanding something before an exam.
•    When you are focused on your own fears and anxieties it can be easy to overlook some of the resources that are available - so make a conscious effort to appraise them.
•    If the task seems overwhelming, try breaking it down into smaller chunks and facing these chunks one by one - ticking off your progress as you go.
•    Check to see if you can make any compromises (particularly important if you tend towards 'all or nothing' thinking). Are there any elements of what you feel you have to achieve that are actually non-essential (if desirable)? Consider leaving them out for the time being, and coming back to them if you have time.
•    Check that you aren't blowing the situation out of proportion (especially if you think you sometimes tend to exaggerate or over-dramatize).
Challenge your thoughts to assess how realistic they really are. There will be help with this through the rest of this section.
•    If your negative thoughts are based on something you can't do anything about, then they aren't useful. And if they aren't useful, then it's time to stop focusing on them.
•    Fake it until you make it! The simple act of smiling and laughing can help lift your mood and make it easier for you to see your world in a positive light.
•    Begin each morning off on the right foot. Begin each day by naming everyone and everything you are grateful for. You can also alternate with naming each person you love and what exactly you love about them.

We hope this post has been of help to you. We now encourage members to share their tips, post comments or ask questions!
Ashley, Health Educator