I would love some help with this thought download. My husband got the stomach virus this weekend and my kids have fevers/colds. Stomach virus seems to trigger my anxiety so I wanted to work on my thoughts. When I try to change my unintentional thought, I have trouble because in the past I’ve handled these circumstances very UNgracefully… I guess “I can learn to handle situations gracefully”? How do I learn?
THANK YOU!!

Thought download:
This is so stressful. Waiting for someone to throw up, get a fever. Too much to handle. Nervous. Keep germs away. Sigh. Will John throw up again? Will the kids throw up? How will they react? Will Shane and Holly go to school tomorrow? Is Tara (babysitter) annoyed? I don’t want to go home tonight. Will someone start throwing up before I can get them in bed. Then sun sets, ugh. Someone will throw up all over the bed at bedtime. Can I have us all eat prepackaged food forever? This summer could be more joyful but then someone could still catch a stomach virus in the summer. This is so depressing. Sickness and tragedy everywhere. Brain tumors. Cancer. Colitis. Everyone getting old and dying. Death. Sadness. No control, we are all just waiting for the horror. We are vulnerable. I can’t control it all. It’s too much. I feel like crying. Things were much easier when I was younger and didn’t know the big picture. Too much buzzing in my head.
C
T Too much to handle (I can’t handle this)
F Overwhelmed, anxious
A Acting out of control, buzzing around anxiously
R Nothing feels in control, more anxiety

C
T I have handled challenging situations in the past and can do so again
I can handle this more gracefully than I did last time
F
A
R

Challenging situations I’ve handled:
2 pregnancies (1 with stressful medical issue during)
Colorectal surgery and complications
Raising newborns
Toddler son having surgery and then getting stomach virus during recovery
My children have had stomach virus, flu, high fevers, injuries, emotional and physical upset
Work stress