Whenever we feel distressed, anxious, or down, we tend to exaggerate, oversimplify or make harsh judgments. These are called ‘cognitive distortions,’ which is therapy-speak, for thoughts that might sound rational and true but are twisted by our fears. They are distortions of the truth and facts. They are the emotional hooks that make us spiral and feel hopeless about the future.

To break the ANT habit, we reality check our ANTs (critical self-talk and anxious predictions). Negative Core
Beliefs and Rules for Living can pop up too. Then we come up with alternatives that are both more realistic
and more helpful. Reality checking will not make the ANTs go away. They are habitual and stem from
entrenched negative beliefs. But we can gain distance from the ANTs and create healthier rebuttals.

Download and use the exercise below to indentify and unhook from your thoughts and beliefs that are biased by your emotions.