Use these questions as a guide:

1. Have I had any experiences that show that this thought is not completely true all the time?
2. If my best friend or someone I loved had this thought, what would I tell them?
3. If my best friend or someone who loves me knew I was thinking this thought, what would they say to me? What evidence would they point out to me that would suggest that my thoughts were not 100% true?
4. When I am not feeling bad, do I think about this type of situation any differently? How?
5. Have I been in this type of situation before? What happened? Is there anything different between this situation and previous ones? What have I learned from prior experiences that could help me now?
6. Are there small things that contradict my thoughts that I might be discounting as not important?
7. Five years from now, if I look back on this situation, will I look at it any differently? Will I focus on any different part of my experience?
8. Are there any strengths or positives in me or the situation that I am ignoring?
9. Am I jumping to any conclusions that are not completely justified by the evidence?
10. Am I blaming myself for something over which I do not have complete control?

1. What do you conclude?
2. Have you successfully challenged any thinking traps?
3. Is there a more balanced way of looking at this situation?
4. What are the opportunities for personal growth?
5. How can you look at this situation as a challenge to be overcome?