Hello,
Hope your day has been terrific so far.

So, Although using the model does help… it stops me long enough to bring my frontal cortex on line (yay) and reworking the thoughts definitely changes my action but I still struggle with the result proving the thought. Does it really have to?

Here’s my example:
Circumstance: 2:30 pm, my to do’s aren’t done and there is no end in sight to the interruptions (I work in IT production support)
Thought: There is so much to do
Feeling: Overwhelmed
Action: Eat candy
Result: off protocol

So that is what I came up with at the moment in time. I walked past a candy dish about a million times and trying to evaluate the impulse did help me resist but didn’t stop the desire.

Tonight as I type this, I’m thinking maybe it should have been
Circumstance: 2:30 pm, I’ve been going non-stop since 8 am, ate lunch while working – no task gets more than 15 minutes of my time before I have to switch, unless it’s a meeting.
Thought: I need a moment to stop but there’s one more thing to do
Feeling: overwhelmed
Action: eat candy
Result: get to stop for a moment to unwrap it. (not sure this proves the thought either)

OK so that must be the real thing b/c I got so sad thinking that.
New model:
C: 2:30 pm, I’ve been going non-stop since 8 am, ate lunch while working – no task gets more than 15 minutes of my time before I have to switch, unless it’s a meeting.
T: I need a moment – so I’m going to shut my door or go for a walk, the world won’t end in 15 minutes.
F: Acceptance
A: Walk or rest for 15 when my frontal cortex starts to melt.
R: Feel better without needing food. (I presume the world doesn’t end, so it proves the thought I guess)

And although these are helpful, I still feel like I’m trying to force the result to prove the thought.

Amy