Mental Short Cuts to resolving anxiety that comes from making Mistakes.
No one likes mistakes, but we all make them and inadvertently have to deal with them. If you take mistakes more personally than you should where you allow errors to disrupt your mood, lower self -esteem and caught up in blaming others then you need to know some mental techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to reduce your negative thinking. So what is the cognitive therapy secret to manage mistakes so that they don’t become a source of anxiety, anger and stress?
People who see problems/mistakes as opportunities and things to work-out have the following automatic reactive thinking to these situations:
CBT Tip 1. See the situation in numbers: They break it down to facts and figures. What is the cost here? Can I afford these? Is there a way to increase my security? What is the cost/value of that security?
CBT Tip 2. Accept external factor and constraints: They accept that life doesn’t operate based on ideals but reasonably consider and factor in practical features and limits. e.g. Rather than seeing someone as disinterested recognize that they are not necessarily reliable due to scheduling problems.
CBT Tip 3. Get Active in gathering information about what is available They focus their mind to pay attention on what is possible by gathering the information necessary to get on.
CBT Tip 4. Expect Problems: They accept that not all factors are within their control. Therefore they reserve mental bank to deal with the expected but unknown stuff.
CBT Tip 5. Accept rational and reasonable responsibility. Recognize that they made decisions based on knowledge and reasoning available at the time not what is available in the future.
Bad Mistake automatic thinking
When people have anxiety and negative automatic thinking in reaction to stressful problem or mistakes it is because the mind connects to parts of the brain that magnifies the problem and gets stuck in focus on elements of “what is not fair..”it should have been this way” and the loss itself..”if only if ” . Most likely because the error/problem was not reasonably anticipated by the brain.so it sparks a threat reaction.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy NYC
The goal of the mental gymnastic exercise is to be able to prepare your brain to be flexible and be able to perform at its best during times of mistakes/problems. The result of this cognitive mental exercise is to increase mental certainty.
CBT Mental Gymnastic Reducing Anxiety around mistakes:
Sit down, close your eyes, visualize the situation where the mistake occurred. Focus on where you are magnifying the outcome and the blame. Consider the following questions: What is the emotional part of the problem? What is the hardest part to accept for this yourself ? Can you see yourself accepting the new outcome? Repeat this cognitive visualization 3 times.
For more information on getting help with your anxiety problems or stress and increasing mental and emotional performance contact us today. 212-631-1133 or email info@cbt-newyork.com
Dr, Jayme Albin is a Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Instructor she provides individual, couples and group format psychotherapy and mental performance coaching sessions in person or through telatherapy/phone sessions or video therapy via Facetime or Skype.
Our office is located in Midtown New York City
120 East 56th Street
Dr. Albin is an expert resolving anxiety and stress related problems in work, relationships and personal situations. She is an expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR, Biofeedback therapy, Virtual Reality Therapy, Mind Yoga Therapy and Organization and relationship Psychotherapy.
Published by Dr. Albin 2014.
Filed under: Anxiety, CBT-Nuts & Bolts, Cognitive Therapy/Tools, Positive Psychology Tagged: Anxiety, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Positive Psychology, Psychologists NYC, stress
