Come Back To Reality

CBT stands for Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy. But those three words are not very inspiring to me.

I need words that literally tell me what to do.  Because sometimes my mind is so messed up, especially IN THE MOMENT, when I MOST NEED HELP, that I need CBT to stand for something that instructs me precisely as to what my actions should be.

I need a WORKING acronym.

So the way I remember CBT is Come Back To…

I can almost always be snapped back into the present moment by Come Back To…

COME BACK TO R.E.A.L.I.T.Y.

CBTReality

OR Come Back To Reasonable Thinking – CBTReasonableThinking – or whatever works for you. Come Back To The Moment. Come Back To Now. Come Back To Your Breath. Come Back to Your Sane Place.

Come Back To whatever is closest to reality at the moment. Because, as you know, the mind goes to other places so easily. And, for some of us, the mind can go to places that are not helpful. Not helpful at all.

So CBT! CBT over here! We need CBT over here in Aisle 4!

CBT! Remind me to Come Back To the rational, realistic, reasonable and reality-based thinking I am capable of getting back to when I can catch and capture my mind and pin it down long enough to change it.

Journaling and logging throughout the day help me to Come Back To Reality.  And those simple activities of journaling and logging – that are now enjoyable, grounding habits- provide me an opportunity to acknowledge the wayward intruder thinking so I’ll quickly recognize it next time and then dismantle it so it doesn’t have the power to come back as easily or quickly.

So basically, identify the unreasonable or irrational thoughts, jump back to reality to see what the actual real life truth is, and then challenge those thoughts until you understand that they are insane not correct.

And that’s one quick glimpse of CBT at work.

So, let’s see, did you have any Less-Than-Rational Thoughts today?

My trusty journal says I did have one or two. Or ten.

Mine are always the same.

I thought that everyone hated me, that nobody wanted me around, that everyone was avoiding me, and that everyone wanted to kill me.

Well, not everybody. Just certain people. And certain government agencies.

That’s why I’m writing screenplays now. Because I’ve got lots of material.

There’s something about living in DC and being a cartoonist that just exposes you to potential hilarity.

Well, good luck dispelling your irrational beliefs. If they’re funny, please share them with me. I need inspiration and better material.

And happy first Saturday in Mindful and Motivating May, the best and hopefully Most Mellow Month so far.

xoxoxo, d (and bella)