C: I went out of town for the weekend, and my dog stayed with a new sitter. I returned home and began preparing for a move out of state. Furniture is being sold and moved around the apartment. Dog is pacing, barking, eating less, lying in corners more often.
T: I am creating too much change and royally messing up dog. He’ll never be happy or calm after this.
F: Guilt
A: Impatient with barking (snap “no barking” often). Avoid trips to car to prevent barking. Tell myself I’m the worst pet owner. Tell myself I’m messing up my animal. Tell myself he’d be happier with someone else. Tell myself I’m caring too much about my dog’s emotional state. Tell myself my dog will make my boyfriend miserable when we move in with him.
R: Generate excessive worry and stress about the situation.

I’d love to keep this in perspective. Right now, it seems my anxiety has run wild. Instead of finding a new thought that resonates, I’ve been avoiding it altogether.