The 3 'Ps'

I'm reading an exciting book at the moment, it's called "Learned Optimism" by Dr Martin Seligman, who is a Psychology Professor in Pennsylvania, and who is definitely not like Dr Phil!! It's pretty old, from 1991 I think....but it's wonderful! It has given me a bit of a lightbulb moment with regards to my self-talk.

Let me introduce you to the 3 Ps :-)

Dr Seligman talks about our 'explanatory style', ie the way we make sense of what happens to us. The way we do this can be pessimistic or optimistic....or of course a mix of both :-)

Do we think things that happen to us are

permanent? - going to last forever?

pervasive? - going to infect all areas of our lives?

personal? - all our fault?

Or are they

temporary?

confined to one particular area of our lives?

someone else's fault??? (yay! no, don't worry he does talk about responsibility too)

I've begun to think about how i talk to myself and what i say especially with regards to the 3 Ps....and it's not pretty! But it's sooooo effective to ask yourself:

-is this going to last forever?
- has this ruined my whole life?
- does this mean i'm a terrible person?

The answer so far has been NO!!!

I don't have to be a pessimistic catastrophiser anymore! Joy!

And all jokes aside I think with some practice i might make some progress.