Struggling Right Now? Try This Journaling Exercise For Relief

Write about the ABCD’s of what you’re experiencing (From Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman):

Adversity: What adversity are you experiencing right now?

What’s going on at the moment? Write about everything troubling you. Did you fail a test? Get pulled over for speeding? Lose your job?

Beliefs: What beliefs do you have about the adversity?

What do you believe these events mean about yourself, the future, other people, and the world around you? Notice the three 3 P’s:

• Personal- do I believe that this has something to do with a flaw in my personality?
• Permanent- am I stuck thinking that this situation is going to last forever?
• Pervasive- is my thinking skewing toward catastrophizing and making it seem like all parts of life are bad?

Consequences: How are these beliefs affecting you?

What are your thoughts on this adversity doing to you emotionally, mentally, and physically?

How are they governing your life (unintentionally)?

Disputation: Use truth to dispute your negative beliefs by asking what’s actually true in this situation?