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Thought Tracking Sheet: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

It has been two decades since I learned the power of thought tracking and it saved my life. I first wrote about thought tracking in 2009, today, 13 years later, I am sharing the tool so that you can use it yourself. I have created this free thought tracking sheet that you can use to track, understand, and change your thoughts.

Click here to download the sheet now. Read on for more information about how the sheet works and how to use it.

For people who suffer from anxiety, distorted thoughts are very common—so common, in fact, that they become automatic. Learning how to stop automatic, negative, irrational thoughts is a powerful tool for overcoming anxiety.

Using a thought tracking sheet like this one is an effective method for changing our thought processes. You can use this sheet, to track your thoughts as they occur to you. Or at the end of the day, you can reflect on thoughts that you had throughout the day, and fill in this sheet. If you do wait to the end of the day to fill in your sheet, it may be helpful to jot things down during the day to come back to later.

When you download the sheets, you will find 2 pages. The first is a sample sheet that show examples of how to use the sheet. The second is a blank sheet for you to fill in yourself. You can print this and write in your thoughts or the sheet is available as a Google Drive document if you prefer to type your thoughts in.

As you use begin to use this powerful tool, you will be amazed at the results. Tracking your thoughts in this manner will absolutely change your life if you stick with it. Commit to this process and watch your life transform.

Now let’s talk about thought tracking and why it is so powerful.

Anxiety is caused by negative, irrational thoughts. All people experience negative, irrational thoughts occasionally. However, in the anxious mind negative, irrational thoughts are too frequent and intense. It is healthy to have a balance of rational, healthy thoughts and occasional negative, irrational thoughts. But when there is an imbalance, anxiety arises. The frequency and intensity of the negative, irrational thoughts makes way for mental illness. The person is unable to see through the negativity and irrationality. Anxiety consumes them.

This was the case for me for the first 20 years of my life and as such, I was so overwhelmed by my anxiety that I became suicidal. This is why I say that learning to change my thoughts saved my life. I am most certain that if I had stayed on the path that I was on, I would not be alive today.

This is the power of changing your thought process. It can transform and save your life.

By using a thought tracking sheet like this one, with practice, you can learn to change your negative, irrational thoughts into positive, rational thoughts. YOu can eliminate anxiety, overcome mental illness, and live in peace.

You Are Not Your Thoughts and Your Thoughts Are Not Always True

The first step to changing your thoughts is to understand that you are not your thoughts, you are the conscious presence behind your thoughts. If you quiet your mind for a moment and be still, so that no thoughts are running through your mind, you will notice that you still exist. You are still present. You are still breathing. That presence is who you are. Your thoughts are not you, they are just thoughts.

To overcome anxiety, we must recognize our thoughts for what they are and understand that they are not who we are. This distinction is critical. We must never be completely identified with our thoughts. We must always remember that our thoughts come and go. They are not real and we do not have to believe them. Our thoughts are not always true or valid. Just because you think something, that doesn’t make it true. Learn to question your thoughts. They are just thoughts, passing through your mind. You have control over your thoughts, not the other way around.

Identifying the Types of Thoughts

Negative irrational thoughts are just that—negative and irrational. Likewise, positive, rational thoughts are positive and rational. Most anxious people have been anxious for so long that they do not even realize that most of their thoughts are negative and irrational. In other words, they can’t see the forest through the trees.

This is why thought tracking is so important. We write our thoughts down and they are suddenly very clear and visible to us. From here, we can recognize our thoughts for what they are and we can begin to change them. Many people want to skip the part where you have to write down your thoughts because it can be tedious. But for the anxious mind this is a most critical step. We must first write down our thoughts and manually change them. With time, this will happen automatically. But in the beginning, writing them down is critical. It is like learning any new skill. You must start out slow and eventually, you will master it.

For me, it took about 6 months of writing my thoughts down, and then one day it began to happen automatically. I no longer needed to write them down. Your mind will just begin to transform thoughts automatically. It will be incredible and life changing. But do not rush to that point. Put in the work now of writing down your thoughts. It will be worth it.

The easiest way to sight the difference between negative, irrational thoughts and positive rational thoughts is by comparing examples. Let’s look at a few now.

Negative Irrational: It is raining out this morning. I am definitely going to have a bad day.
Positive Rational: It is raining out this morning. What a gift! It has been dry for awhile, we desperately need the water.

Negative Irrational: My parents are on the verge of losing their house. This is all my fault. I should have never been born.
Positive Rational: It is unfortunate about my parent’s financial situation. Still, I recognize that their problems are not my own. I will offer them love and support with healthy boundaries in place.

Negative Irrational: That guy just hit my car bumper. Just my luck. I can’t afford this. I’m going to be late for work. I’m going to get fired. Bad things always happen to me. If I lose my job, I will lose my house. I am on the verge of being homeless.
Positive Rational: That guy just hit my car bumper. Thank goodness that I am not hurt and we were both doing the speed limit. This could have been a lot worse.

In these examples we can see the difference between the thought types. There are many more examples on the sheet. Every thought has the potential to be either negative or positive. And every thought has the potential to be either irrational or rational. Learning to switch our thought process in this way is the path to freedom from anxiety.

How to Change Your Thoughts by Practice

Writing thoughts down on your thought tracking sheet throughout the day is the best method of tracking your thoughts. Every time you start to feel anxious, write down the thoughts that pass through your mind. If you have time in the moment, you can begin to analyze your thoughts by filling out the other columns on the sheet.

Write down the situation, what actually happened to cause the thoughts. Write down the actual thoughts. Write down the emotions that the thoughts made you feel. Write down your behavior in reaction to the thoughts. And finally, write down an alternate thought. Your original thought will usually be negative and irrational, so your alternate thought should be positive and rational.

It’s that simple! This process, as simple as it may seem, absolutely has the power to change your life. I am telling you this from experience. It completely changed, and saved, my life. It can do the same for you if you stick with it.

In Closing

If you haven’t done so yet, go ahead and download your free thought tracking sheet.

What I have shared here today is the basic outline for tracking your thoughts. WHile I used this method to get a strong handle on my anxiety, sometimes my anxiety catches up with me, even today, two decades since I started this practice. Whenever that happens, I just go back to the basic. I track my thoughts again until I find my mindset changing.

Over the years, I have continued to educate myself about the power of thinking, human behavior and cognitive behavioral therapy. I have learned so much and in coming posts, I will share much more. Stay tuned.

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    3 Simple Changes That Will Save Your Life

    This post could save your life. These 3 simple lifestyle changes saved mine. Today I am going to simply share facts with you. These facts (if you let them) will dramatically improve your quality of life. Making these changes can even increase your life span.

    1. Stop Smoking

    FACTS: According to the American Heart Association, cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States, accounting for 440,000 of the more than 2.4 million annual deaths.

    Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco is the major risk factor for lung cancer. In the United States, about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking. People who smoke are 10 to 20 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. The longer a person smokes and the more cigarettes smoked each day, the more risk goes up.

    Smoking also causes cancer of the voice box (larynx), mouth and throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach, and causes acute myeloid leukemia. Source.

    FACTS: One year after passing smoking bans, communities in North America and Europe had 17 percent fewer heart attacks compared to communities without smoking restrictions, and the number of heart attacks kept decreasing with time, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Source.

    FACTS: If you quit smoking, you will:

    1. Prolong your life. According to the American Heart Association, smokers who quit between ages 35-39 add an average of 6-9 years to their lives. Smokers who quit between ages 65-69 increase their life expectancy by 1 – 4 years.

    2. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of repeat heart attacks and death from heart disease by 50 percent or more. Quitting smoking also reduces your risk of high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease and stroke.

    3. Reduce your risk of developing a variety of other conditions including diabetes, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, ulcers, gum disease and many other conditions.

    4. Feel healthier. After quitting, you won’t cough as much, have as many sore throats and you will increase your energy.

    5. Look and feel better. Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained teeth, improve your skin and even get rid of the stale smell in your clothes and hair.

    6. Improve your sense of taste and smell.

    7. Save money. Source.

    FACTS: What Happens When You Quit:

    After 20 minutes
    o You stop polluting the air
    o Your blood pressure and pulse decrease
    o The temperature of your hands and feet increases

    After 8 hours
    o The carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal
    o Oxygen levels in your blood increase

    After 24 hours
    o Your risk of heart attack decreases

    After 48 hours
    o Nerve endings adjust to the absence of nicotine
    o Your ability to taste and smell begin to return

    After 2 weeks to 3 months
    o Your circulation improves
    o Your exercise tolerance improves

    After 1 – 9 months
    o Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
    o Your overall energy level increases

    After 1 year
    o Your risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a current smoker

    After 5 – 15 years
    o Your risk of stroke is reduced to that of people who have never smoked

    After 10 years
    o Your risk of dying from lung cancer drops to almost the same rate as a lifelong non- smoker
    o You decrease the incidence of other cancers — of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas

    After 15 years
    o Your risk of heart disease is reduced to that of people who have never smoked

    If you smoke again (called a relapse) do not lose hope. Seventy-five percent of those who quit relapse. Most smokers quit three times before they are successful. If you relapse, don’t give up! Review the reasons why you wanted to become a nonsmoker. Plan ahead and think about what you will do next time you get the urge to smoke. Source.

    2. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

    QUESTION: How many people get cancer by being overweight or obese? How many die?

    FACTS: In 2002, about 41,000 new cases of cancer in the United States were estimated to be due to obesity. This means that about 3.2 percent of all new cancers are linked to obesity.

    A recent report estimated that, in the United States, 14 percent of deaths from cancer in men and 20 percent of deaths in women were due to overweight and obesity.

    Colon cancer occurs more frequently in people who are obese than in those of a healthy weight. An increased risk of colon cancer has been consistently reported for men with high BMIs.
    Source.

    FACTS: Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as “overweight” and “obesity,” the risks for the following conditions also increases:

    * Coronary heart disease
    * Type 2 diabetes
    * Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
    * Hypertension (high blood pressure)
    * Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
    * Stroke
    * Liver and Gallbladder disease
    * Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
    * Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
    * Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility) Source.

    3. Eat Whole Foods, Not Processed

    FACTS: The statistics are alarming:

    – One in three people will get cancer at some time in their life

    – Heart disease is the leading cause of death

    – Poor nutrition and physical inactivity together are the second
    actual cause of preventable death in the United States

    On the other hand new evidence shows that:

    – Eating five or more fruits and vegetables per day cuts cancer
    risk in half

    – People who eat more fruits and vegetables have a 30% lower risk
    of premature heart attack than people who eat a few

    – About 25% fewer strokes are projected for adults who eat 8 or
    more servings of fruits and vegetables per day

    – Fruits and vegetables may help keep blood sugar down and control diabetes.” Source.

    FACTS: Processed meat consumption results in 67% increase in pancreatic cancer risk.
    Source.

    FACTS: Inorganic phosphates are found in a variety of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery products. They are added to increase water retention and improve food texture. Studies suggests a diet high in inorganic phosphates could speed growth of cancerous tumors and contribute to the development of tumors in those predisposed to the disease. Source.

    FACTS: Carcinogens in foods that may be naturally-occurring, caused by preparing or cooking certain foods, or added to it, include safrole, estragole and benzene. Processed foods such as sausages, bacon and canned meats contain high amounts of the preservative nitrite, another known carcinogen. Other carcinogens to look for in food products include:

    * acetaldehyde
    * acetamide
    * azo color and compounds
    * benzidine
    * bis (2-Chloromethyl) ether
    * cadmium
    * chlorinated parraffin waxes
    * 3,3-dichlorobenzidine
    * dichloromethane
    * hexachlorobenzene
    * polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
    * polychlorinated dibenzodioxins
    * polychlorinated dibenzofurans
    * sillica
    * trichloroethylene

    Though it is impossible to avoid every known carcinogen, to decrease risk of cancers and other illnesses, a balanced diet with more unprocessed, whole foods can decrease risk of some cancers and other diseases such as type two diabetes and heart disease. Source.

    FACTS: Nutrients in Whole Foods that Protect Against Cancer:

    1. Vitamin A: Strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function. Helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.

    2. Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. Found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.

    3. Vitamin B6: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes. Most available from animal foods.

    4. Vitamin B12: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods.

    5. Vitamin B17: Protects against cancer. Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.

    6. Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption. Strongly protective against breast and colon cancer. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin D than the typical modern American diet.

    7. Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.

    8. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.

    9. Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.

    10. Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.

    11. Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.

    12. Saturated Fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.

    13. Long-Chain Fatty Acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafood.

    14. Co-enzyme Q10: Highly protective against cancer. Found only in animal foods. Source.

    In closing: I truly hope that you will begin living these simple lifestyle changes. If you are non-smoker, not obese, and already eating whole foods, then I challenge you to help to spread this message to as many people as you can. All of the suffering and the disease mentioned above is not necessary. It can be prevented.

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