Is it true?

An exercise I’ve been working with a therapist on is reframing which involves replacing an exaggerated, inaccurate, or counterproductive thought with one that is more accurate and helpful.

The whole practice has been instrumental in bringing an important fact to surface: to be convinced that something is true doesn’t make it true.

For example, I spend a disproportionate amount of time imagining the many ways in which people may be perceiving me as incompetent to the point where I’m convinced people are thinking this all the time…or so I once thought.

But after appraising the facts, a more likely reality emerges: people judge which means giving this impression at times is inevitable. However, critically, there’s no obvious evidence to suggest that people are making this judgment nearly to the extent I am imagining. What a relief.

Sometimes our thoughts can be our biggest constraints — draining gobs of energy by creating needless anxiety and worry.

When you find yourself overwhelmed with such feelings, ask yourself: “is it true?”

A little bit of detective work — reappraising what is likely to be true — can provide much-needed relief.