Face the Scary Thought — With a Twist
Face the Scary Thought — With a Twist
If a thought frightens or unsettles you, one way to tackle it is by inviting it into your mind but with a slight twist. Allow yourself to stay present with the thought, accepting both the thought and the feelings it brings. In their amazing book, Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts, Sally Winston and Martin Seif, propose a series of creative ways to work through your most challenging thoughts with a little added humor:
1. Sing the thought to the tune of "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
2. Ask Ai to Draw or paint the thought as an image.
3. Make a song using your imagination or one of many AI apps.
4. Translate the thought into another language.
5. Stand in front of a mirror and repeat the thought aloud over and over.
6. Say the words backward for a fun twist.
7. Turn the thought into a poem.
What if I Harm Someone By Mistake?
A thought appears, so sharp, so grim,
"What if I cause harm, what if I sin?"
It whispers loud, it clings so tight,
Filling my heart with unwelcome fright
What if it’s there? What if it’s not?
It’s just a worry, just a thought.
I’ll paint it bright, or let it sing,
A harmless figment, a fleeting thing.
References:
Sally M. Winston,Martin N. Seif - Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A Cbt-based Guide To Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, Or Disturbing Thoughts, New Harbinger Publications, 2017
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