Arianna continues "I wish someone would invent a tape recorder that we could attach to our brains to record everything we tell ourselves. We would realize how important it is to stop this negative self-talk. It means pushing back against our obnoxious roommate with a dose of wisdom".
We must come up with standard operating procedures (SOP) to deal with this damn roomie. Here are a few ideas:
Thought stopping: This means we must consciously recognize negative thoughts and then cue ourselves with a phrase or rally cry to STOP the thinking. Girlfriend, you've got this.
Cognitive restructuring: This involves challenging and reframing negative thoughts by replacing them with more positive and realistic ones. My body is beautiful.
Mindfulness: Stop what you are doing and be fully present in the moment. Acknowledge what is happening and try to be fact-based. Practice detaching yourself from the negative thoughts and enjoy being, sitting and breathing.
Distract yourself: Make a list of the activities that you love doing. This could be hobbies, cooking, exercise, reading, spending time with friends & family, texting/emailing/writing friends to stay in touch, etc.
Visualization: Create or search mental images/pictures that make you happy. These visualizations could be in your mind or could be on your phone. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a peaceful place, such as a beach or a forest. Or create an album on your phone with your favorite photos that take you someplace wonderful.
Label your thoughts: When you have a negative thought, label it like you would using a label maker: "Hello, negative thought", "That is an untrue story" or "Worst case scenario that is unlikely to happen". These labels can help distance yourself from your negative thoughts.
Be patient and kind to yourself: Be compassionate with yourself! Think of how you would treat a friend who is having negative thoughts. Be nice.
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