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Mental Betterment Information & Activities
Below you will find some inspiration I've found from reading the book Mind Over Mood by Dennis Greenberger, as well as some mental activities I've created for you to use based off of my learning. Most of what I wanted to gather from this book revolved around different ways to think. I strongly believe that changing the way we think about something can truly make a difference in our thought process. I know for a fact that sometimes I can guilty of negative thinking and this always leads down a path I don't enjoy in the future. Join me in exploring different thought processes that influence more positive mindsets!
Understanding Your Problems
This section taught me that the first true step in reaching a healthy mindset is understanding your problematic thoughts. "Problematic" may seem like a strong, negative word in this context, but it truly just means the thoughts that are contributing to any negative feelings you may be experiencing. When attempting to understand your problems, it is important to consider 5 major things: environment/life changes, physical reactions, moods, behaviors, and thoughts. Is it necessary to think about these 5 things when trying to decipher issues within your life. An example of an environmental change could be recent stressful events or long-term/ongoing challenges. Physical reactions are physical symptoms you may have such as energy level, amount of food intake, or sleep and pain levels. To narrow down and keep the "moods" category very simple and easy for you, try to limit your response to this category to one word answers, such as anxious, angry, guilty, etc. A behavior is something we do or avoid doing. Try to see if you can link a behavior to a mood, and attempt to track when and under what circumstances this behavior and mood occur. Behavior and mood often work together, so make sure to be actively cogniscent of both. The last thing you need to take into consideration is your thoughts. Think about the question, "When I have strong moods, what thoughts are associated with those moods. Make sure to record these as they will be important later. You can record all of these things in the worksheet linked below if you wish, or you can use your own method of recording these things. These 5 major items are like a beginner recipe for analyzing thoughts and is a building block for creating associations among emotions and problems. All of the ideas above work together, so remember, when analyzing problems and recording information under the categories above, make sure that each time you record a set of 5 answers that they are all pertaining to the same problem. (Note: you will have to make a copy to edit the activity below.)
Your Thoughts Matter
After reading this section, I learned that when experiencing negative feelings, your thoughts are the place to start! Negative thoughts can lead to negative emotions and behaviors, and sometimes this can work vice-versa. The moods that we experience have a lot to do with the thoughts we think. When we experience a mood, there is almost always a thought connected to that mood that can assist in defining the mood. Sometimes this can occur as a cause and effect as well. If a specific event happens, you may feel a certain way, which makes you think the thoughts that you do in that situation. If you are experiencing persistent feelings of stress, depression, or anxiety, much like a victim of situational depression, your thoughts are most likely going to reflect how you feel. A thought-mood connection can be a great place to start. A thought-mood connection is simply recognizing these thoughts as they come with your emotions and linking your mood with the thought that follows in any situation. It is important to understand and know how to do this, so I've linked an activity below. Practice connecting thoughts and moods, and then try combining your personal thoughts and moods together! (Note: you will have to make a copy to edit the activity below.)