Skill

Check the Story I’m Telling Myself

Examine the meaning you added to what happened.

What it is

Your mind gives meaning to events almost immediately. Those meanings may feel like facts, but they are interpretations.

How to do it

Describe what happened in observable terms.

Identify the meaning you added.

Ask what evidence supports that interpretation.

Look for assumptions about intent.

Consider another possible explanation.

Choose behavior based on what you actually know.

Remember

Your first interpretation is information, not a verdict.

Want to understand this more deeply?

Chapter 3: Slow My Thinking

Read the story and teaching behind this skill, then come back here when you want to practice it.

Identify what you know versus what your mind filled in.

Make room for explanations other than your first one.

Look at the event from a perspective that supports a safer response.