Give your thoughts a name. So often, unhelpful thoughts (or stories) flit through our minds. Usually, the same ones over and over again. These thoughts can easily pull us into worrying, ruminating or ‘analysis paralysis’. While it may be natural to have these thoughts, they can be debilitating.

Don’t take your thoughts too seriously. Name the story so that when those thoughts come, you can simply tell yourself, “Oh, here it is again, the [“job”, “I am not good enough”, “I am a victim”] story.” And then dismiss your mind with a sarcastic, “Thanks for the thought, dear mind. Thank you — I really do see how you are trying to be of use, but no.”

The idea is to look at your thoughts from afar rather than getting caught up in them or buying into them.

You might imagine that your unhelpful thought is like an internet pop-up ad. Practice closing the pop-up window.