Getting Ahead of Myself

Another classic mental health mistake I’m habitually guilty of (and was reminded of today) is that of getting ahead of myself. Something small goes well and I’m already extrapolating months or years into the future, considering possibilities that have asymptotically close to 0% chance of happening, getting not only my hopes up, but far more dangerously my expectations. Conversely if something small goes badly, I will mentally follow all the paths that amplify whatever that thing may be, until I get to the point where every option seems to have led to catastrophe.

It’s an exhausting habit, and one that I find myself doing without thinking. Similarly it’s something my previous therapist placed a lot of emphasis on breaking, and so that’s what I’m trying to do. No more thinking about the future; just deep breaths and existence in the present.