Put all your important documents in one place so you can find them easily. This could be letters, bank statements, payslips, bills and receipts. Visualisation is a mind management technique which involves imagining the desired outcome (your goals, your changed life) over and over. Troy AS, et al. (2018). Cognitive reappraisal and acceptance: Effects on emotion, physiology, and perceived cognitive costs. To do this, write out positive statements of how you want to be and read them repeatedly, preferable out loud, throughout the day. The disability charity Scope runs an energy advice service where they can give you advice on managing energy bills and switching suppliers.

It’s human nature to flinch away from pain, so of course you’d prefer to avoid thoughts that cause distress. And we begin with a chat about Kathryn’s 30-day challenge – to create and publish a video everyday for the month of September. In episode 7 you’ll find out: Say you slipped in wet leaves and fell off your bike while training for a race. You didn’t sustain any life threatening injuries, but you did break your ankle. Souri H, et al. (2011). Relationship between resilience, optimism and psychological well-being in students of medicine. Visualisation helps get you (and your non-conscious) in the right frame of mind to do what needs to be done to achieve it.

They’re made up of the Inner Planner, the Rehasher, and the Ruminator, along with the Inner Critic and the Worrier.) For example: If your child gets lost in the mall, the typical parental reaction that follows the fearful thoughts when finding them is to yell at them. If you’d like to keep even more distance from upsetting thoughts, you can even try writing them down in narrative form, as if telling a story. Positive thinking doesn’t mean pretending there’s nothing wrong, ignoring problems, or failing to consider helpful solutions. We’ve seen how the things our conscious creative imaginative mind wants for us can be undermined by our subconscious, whose job it is to keep us safe within the realms of our current experience and way of looking at the world through our self-beliefs and habits. And in doing so can unintentionally restrict our awareness of opportunities and ultimately make the difference between us achieving what we want to or not (episode 3).

I have heard that the average person thinks around 70,000 thoughts a day. That’s a lot, especially if they are unproductive, self-abusive, and just a general waste of energy. Remember that good days for your wellbeing won't always look the same. We don't always have the same levels of energy or motivation. Be kind to yourself and do what feels right for you at the moment. Exercise won't make your stress disappear, but it can reduce some of the emotional intensity that you're feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you deal with your problems more calmly. A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.Find ways to delay purchasing. You could tell yourself, "I will buy this tomorrow if I still feel like it then". You could take photographs of the things you want or write them down in a wish list. Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that'll make a real difference.

If this is all sounding a bit worthy you can also have values or themes around having fun, enjoyment, health, wellbeing, love, and so on.If you recognize that you have recurring self-critical thoughts, you can write out or pre-plan your counter thoughts or affirmation so you can be ready. Tell someone you trust about the warning signs you might be overspending, or signs you’re struggling with your mental health. Expressing thoughts in writing may not change your frame of mind immediately, but it can help you improve control over unwanted feelings. I told you never to leave my sight.” This reaction just adds to the child’s fear level from being lost in the first place.

The names you call yourself become triggers when called those names by others, so he also maintains the presence of the Reactor. You might feel stressed, for example if you’re under a lot of pressure to support yourself and others. Or, trying to navigate the benefits system may feel stressful. Thank You (your choice of Higher Power) for watching over my child and keeping him safe. Thank you for helping me find him soon.” Visualisation is also called mental rehearsal, especially in the field of sports psychology where it’s a hugely popular form of mind management used the world over to enhance an athlete’s physical and mental training.

Tips for improving your mental wellbeing

This can be a combination of any number of different squatters including the inner planner, the rehasher, and the ruminator, along with the innercritic and the worrier. It might feel a little awkward, but this cognitive reappraisal strategy offers a couple important benefits.