Whether you are living with depression, anxiety, bipolar or just plain living, our default thought process is to go to the negative side of things. Even when good things happen, we may enjoy it for a split second and then spend the rest of our time waiting for “the other shoe to drop.” It is vital thought before we get too caught up in the downward spiral of negativity that we take the time to challenge those thoughts. I have to catch myself and stop and think whether these negative thoughts are in fact accurate. Does everything in my life ALWAYS go wrong just because I didn’t get the most recent job offer? Does my friend really hate me just because she hasn’t responded to my text message? Am I really a complete idiot because I didn’t do well in school? Of course the answer to these questions is NO. I have had success at work before and the job that is the right fit will come along. My friend easily could have had a busy day and just forgotten to text me back. School is not a measure of intelligence. It is merely a way to educate us on the world but it may or may not have been presented in the most effective manner for my learning style. Cut negativity off at its knees! Before you head into the downward spiral of negativity, stop a moment and look for the evidence to the contrary. It will keep your self-esteem intact and keep from adding fuel to the violent fires of depression and anxiety.
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