Stop the Spirals
Is my thought a Fact or a Worry?

Our thoughts can get bigger and spiral to places that feel overwhelming from time to time. This is something everyone experiences sometimes and it DOESN’T MEAN THESE SPIRALING THOUGHTS ARE TRUE. Try this next time your thoughts take over and overwhelm you:

• Pause. Take a deep breath letting your body relax when you exhale. If you are really overwhelmed, stand up and shake your arms and legs so the overwhelming energy has somewhere to go
• Remind yourself that your thoughts aren’t facts. “Just because I’m thinking it doesn’t mean it’s true” or something similar. 
  
• Make a list of what you know to be true (on paper or in your head – sometimes I say them quietly to myself). You may find that only 1 or 2 things are true!  
• Label all of this other stuff as ‘worries’ or ‘what if’s’ You can always come back to these thoughts at a later time to see if they feel smaller or different.
• Shift your focus: do something you enjoy instead – play a game, reach out to a friend, etc (something you actually enjoy. Avoid social media!)

Use the boxes below to help you sort through your thoughts:

Facts (what I know to be true):

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Everything else:

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Sara Fuller Counseling
sarafullercounseling.com