This Space is Not for You

BUILD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES Short Term:

Do pleasant things that are possible now.

Increase pleasant events that prompt positive emotions

Do ONE THING each day from the Adult Pleasant Events Schedule - see Emotion Regulation Handout 8

Long Term:

Make changes in your life so that positive events will occur more often.

Build a “life worth living.”

Work towards goals: ACCUMULATE POSITIVES

Make a list of positive events you want

List small steps towards goals

Take the first step.

ATTEND TO RELATIONSHIPS Repair old relationships Reach out for new relationships Work on current relationships

AVOID AVOIDING Avoid giving up

BE MINDFUL OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES FOCUS your attention on positive events that happen REFOCUS when your mind wanders to the negative Be UNMINDFUL of worries

DISTRACT from: Thinking about when the positive experience WILL END Thinking about whether you DESERVE this positive experience Thinking about how much more might be EXPECTED of you now

“i guess none of you like me” could be better phrased as “i feel unloved right now”

“but nobody cares anyway” could be better phrased as “i feel insignificant and i need reassurance”