Have you heard the saying,
Your day will go the way the corner of your mouth turn?
Our thoughts, emotions and behaviors are all related. For example, say I forgot to set my alarm and wake up late for work. I tell myself that it is going to be a horrible day. By default, I will look for evidence to support this claim. The coffee I spill on my clothes, running late to work, walking into a meeting I forgot was scheduled will all be reasons why I should have stayed in bed. I might be thinking to myself, "I should have just called in sick." I will be feeling tired and unmotivated. My behavior will reflect how I am feeling as I will look and act withdrawn, grumpy or tired. Regardless of why I woke up feeling and thinking that today will be horrible, my premonition came true.
To change the course of my day, I will need to stop telling myself that, "today is a horrible day." If I tell myself instead, "today started off rough, but there is still plenty of time left in the day to make it a good," chances are that I will feel better. In turn, my behavior will reflect how I feel. Challenging maladaptive thinking patterns is one of many tools that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy employs to help individuals gain control over their life.
If you are interested in learning more, reach out to Fresh Start Counseling today! We look forward to hearing from you!
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