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[CornishGameHen]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:48 PM, LordArjuna said:

The other thing that I found has really worked is writing out not positive affirmations or abstract 5 year plans but intead just stream of thought reasons for not doing anything to help myself. Doing this for just a few days and looking on what I've written, it's immediately obvious that I'm mostly scaring myself with some extreme thoughts. I can now look at some of them and move past them.

Hello @LordArjuna,

I took the time to read most of your journal.  Thank you for sharing. 

I found the above quote caught my attention.  That's a brilliant strategy. It's not all about positive affirmations, but to look closely at our own thought patterns by writing them down. And that includes the stream of thoughts which may have negative under-tones.   And then, as you said, you can look at them objectively and move past them.  I don't know if you realize this, but you're doing a form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.  I was taught this from my therapist years ago, and we spent nine weeks working on changing mal-adaptive thought patterns.  I 'still' use it to this day when things get super bad.  So, kudos to you for figuring this out on your own, and learning from it.  

I keep a private journal too, wherein I feel safe writing about some things that trouble me most.  It's my safe place.  I've kept the journal entries that had some extreme thoughts because it gives me perspective and helps remind me that those 'states of mind' will pass.  And yeah, some things I wrote are a bit extreme and scary, after reviewing them.  

Anyway, I truly hope I helped by sharing.  Sounds like you're doing well by focusing on the exercise part.  That is something I'd like to increase too.  I used to run, both solo, and also with groups of people.  I joined The Running Room three times the last ten years and even ran a 10K five years ago.  It's been a while.  Right now, I'm speed walking around my local track. 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by CornishGameHen