The Numbers go down... but what goes up?

Kelly Karius

Automatic thoughts do!  

“Why would I invest there?”

“I lost my job, not the other guy, because I’m an idiot.”

“I can’t do anything right.”

Even on good days we bombard ourselves with automatic thoughts.

Automatic thoughts are thoughts that we don’t invite. They can appear as sound snips of things we’ve said to ourselves – or what others have said to us. They might be pictures of what has happened, or what we think might happen. They might appear as words for some people. They are usually negative, usually unwanted and frequently unnoticed. I’ve talked with people who say they don’t have them, who later upon examination say “yeah, I do.”

Our automatic thoughts change our mood. Ever been happy one minute and unhappy the next? Moody, but don’t know why? Check out your automatic thoughts. It becomes important to grab them and ask:

• “What is true about this thought?”
• “What’s not true about this thought?”
• “What’s another why to think about it?”

To learn about this in an in-depth way, I recommend the book: Mind over Mood – Changing the Way You Feel by Changing the Way You Think, by Christine Padesky and Dennis Greenberger.

Anxiety does!

In order to be anxious we have to first of all believe we are in danger. And believe me, people in these days of economic flux believe they are in danger. Why wouldn’t we? Savings are dwindling, and instability reigns king right now. The second part of being anxious involves believing that we don’t have what it takes to cope with the situation. To remedy anxiety, take two steps. Evaluate the danger. It may not be as high as you think. And next, make a plan. List your coping skills and resources. Figure out what you need to do. In financial and emotional matters, talk to experts when necessary. Use their knowledge to increase your own skills and resources. When you’ve developed a list of your coping skills and resources, you’ve developed a plan. Now follow it.

Blood Pressure could...

Relax. Take it easy. You’re being too hard on yourself. Give Yoga a try, buy a beginner tape to see if you like it.Try a mediation. Kelly Howell is good. Visit her website at: www.brainsync.com and enjoy! When you’re in a high pressure situation, your body can be in a state of perpetual adrenalin rush. We have to work our systems, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally to bring down the fight or flight response. Incidentally, what people don’t often know is that when we enter the fight or flight response, the blood goes out of our brains and into our large muscles, so we’re ready to run or get into it physically. Thankfully, we’re more verbal in our society, but the essence of this is that we keep talking when we don’t have enough blood in our brain to allow us to make sense. Give the relaxation stuff a try. If nothing else, stop and take five deep breaths at least three times a day.

Hope can.

Struggles can become a time to self-evaluate. What’s important to you? What are the best things in your life? What could you do without? Find ways to pare back. Connect with family for support. Right now, people can ask themselves, "What can I do that doesn’t involve money, to move me from where I am to where I want to be?" There's a lot you can do through self directed care and by learning more about our chosen field to move yourself forward. Though most of the investment we make in ourselves may come without pay, all of it useful.

Noticing and balancing you’re automatic thoughts, reducing anxiety and increasing wellness will go a long way towards increasing hope. 

Kelly Karius is the author of This is Out of Control! A Practical Guide to Managing Life’s Conflicts. She began Karius & Associates in her basement and has grown the business into a office-based firm where she & her staff passionately design & produce webinars, distance learning programs and motivate clients through consultations and life changing seminars that help individuals & businesses build healthier relationships at home & at work. 

Learn more about Karius & Associates by visiting their website or call: (306)728-2075.  Email Kelly at:  kelly@kariusandassociates.com

 October 13, 2008   by Network Abundance Publications