Ask yourself this question:
‘What led me to this state?’
Our moods, beliefs and mental health all fluctuate and nothing is constant. However by asking yourself the question above you’re able to reflexively check in to see what it is that you have done or lack of (doing) that has influenced your current state.
80 / 20 Thinking
In his book The 80/20 Principle – Richard Koch states: “nothing flows from a simple cause. Nothing is inevitable. Nothing is ever in equilibrium. No undesired state of affairs need endure”
The mental reframe that Richard offers creates an instant idea of control and the feeling that choice can always be exercised.
I know for myself that doing my monthly budget is an area that is likely to cause me to feel stress and anxiety. Knowing what I know now I can use the ideas from Richard to preempt my feelings and dampen the effect that doing my budget previously caused. I can be the circuit breaker for my own mood.
Well that is stressful
I could list a trivial amount of things that cause me to get my heart rate up. But I won’t bore you in this post. I just know that I have the ability to circuit-break whatever I usually feel after doing those things.
For me, in the past, it has been so easy for me to get on a downward spiral. Using the above ideas though has given me a grander sense of control and calm.
Be reflexive
Take a look into your own life and recall which task, people or times of day make you feel a certain emotion. Use this then to preempt the feeling and experience the emotions as they are.
Reflect and review and know that you’re not going to get it perfect every single time.