A little while back, we discussed the problem of ANTs – automatic negative thoughts – and what we can do about them. Let’s add another tool to our ANT-defense toolkit: thought bouncers. Imagine that your mind is an exclusive night club. There is a bouncer guarding the front door. Lots of thoughts want to get in. But many of these thoughts are unwelcome guests; they are irrational, unfounded, unpleasant, or… Read More »Thought Bouncers
You know that big, important thing you’ve been putting off doing? That project? That chore? That behavioral change? Yeah, that thing. It’s time to get started. Oh, you thought I was joking? Get started, right now. Seriously, stop reading this and get started. Wait, you’re still here? Why are you still here? Let me guess… I bet you’re experiencing some kind of resistance. Resistance is a psychological phenomenon that arises… Read More »Resistance is a Compass
When it comes to behavioral change and healthy habits, I love commitment. Specifically, I’m a big believer in 100% commitment. When you go all in, your odds of success go way up. However, we sometimes think of commitment as a single, final decision, especially for major decisions like getting married or quitting drugs. In reality, commitment is a series of decisions you make over and over again. It’s an ongoing… Read More »Recommit
Let’s continue our quest to develop better thoughts. Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve covered so far: If you develop more control over your thoughts, it will improve both your emotions and your behaviors because thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected to one another in a bi-directional feedback loop. Many of your thoughts are either wrong or unhelpful, so you shouldn’t believe everything you think. Many of your thoughts… Read More »Got ANTs?