Mindset Mastery: Everyday CBT Exercises for Mood and Stress

15. Socratic Questioning

When negative thoughts take over, Socratic Questioning invites you to interrogate them like a wise skeptic. This CBT tool challenges automatic assumptions by asking: What’s the evidence? What else could be true? Is this thought helpful? By guiding yourself through these questions, you begin to see the cracks in distorted beliefs. The goal isn’t to force optimism—it’s to find a more balanced, accurate view. Regular practice helps dismantle mental spirals and gives your rational brain a seat at the table. Use it whenever your inner critic gets loud or your stress response feels out of proportion.

16. Mental Filtering Reversal

Mental filtering is a common cognitive distortion where you fixate on the negative and ignore the positive. This subtle bias can leave you feeling like everything’s going wrong—even when it’s not. Flip the filter. Each evening, recall one moment where something went right—a compliment, a task completed, a moment of calm. Write it down. Then ask: Why did this matter? What does it say about me or my growth? This reversal helps retrain your brain to notice what’s working, not just what’s lacking. Over time, it builds a more resilient, fair-minded inner narrative.