Emotional Regulation
You can change the way you feel by changing the way you think.!
b. think of a more positive or helpful alternative thought; and
c. identify how the more helpful thought would make you feel.
Think about an emotion (or feeling). On a piece of paper, draw the emotion you are thinking about.
Situation 1
The teacher asks you to wait behind to discuss your Maths homework. You found the homework difficult.
Negative thought: I can’t do anything right. I am probably going to be in real trouble. I may as well give up.
Situation 2
You buy a new outfit for a party and a friend says, Wow, that’s really different! Negative thought: He/she hates my new outfit! Everyone will laugh at me at the party.
Situation 3
You ask a boy/girl you like if they would like to go with you to the movies on Friday night, and they say sorry — they’re busy on Friday.
Negative thought: I should never have asked. He/she probably doesn’t even like me. Now he/she will tell everyone about this and I will look really stupid.
Situation 4
You want to go out to the movies with some friends but your parent(s) say that you can’t go because you have to stay in and finish a school project that is due in tomorrow.
Negative thought: This is terrible. I hate my mother/father. They never let me do things. They are always interfering in my life. I will lose all my friends if I don’t go.
How would this thought make you feel?
Write a more positive/helpful thought.
How would this thought make you feel?
Click to check out the College Wellbeing Way website section on Coping with Emotions.
- Read through the list of situations below.
- Underneath each situation is an example of a negative thought someone might have if the situation/event happened to them.
- For each negative thought:
b. think of a more positive or helpful alternative thought; and
c. identify how the more helpful thought would make you feel.
Think about an emotion (or feeling). On a piece of paper, draw the emotion you are thinking about.
Situation 1
The teacher asks you to wait behind to discuss your Maths homework. You found the homework difficult.
Negative thought: I can’t do anything right. I am probably going to be in real trouble. I may as well give up.
- How would this thought make you feel?
- Write a more positive/helpful thought.
- How would this thought make you feel?
Situation 2
You buy a new outfit for a party and a friend says, Wow, that’s really different! Negative thought: He/she hates my new outfit! Everyone will laugh at me at the party.
- How would this thought make you feel?
- Write a more positive/helpful thought.
- How would this thought make you feel?
Situation 3
You ask a boy/girl you like if they would like to go with you to the movies on Friday night, and they say sorry — they’re busy on Friday.
Negative thought: I should never have asked. He/she probably doesn’t even like me. Now he/she will tell everyone about this and I will look really stupid.
- How would this thought make you feel?
- Write a more positive/helpful thought.
- How would this thought make you feel?
Situation 4
You want to go out to the movies with some friends but your parent(s) say that you can’t go because you have to stay in and finish a school project that is due in tomorrow.
Negative thought: This is terrible. I hate my mother/father. They never let me do things. They are always interfering in my life. I will lose all my friends if I don’t go.
How would this thought make you feel?
Write a more positive/helpful thought.
How would this thought make you feel?
Click to check out the College Wellbeing Way website section on Coping with Emotions.