In the pudding

Living with OCD means cultivating a habit of interrogating intrusive thoughts, those ideas that come into my mind and stick like gum on the sole of my shoe. One question i find helpful to reflect in is: “What evidence do I have for my thoughts and beliefs?”

Asking this of myself forces me to challenge the automatic thoughts and beliefs that are trying to drive compulsive behaviors. By examining the evidence for my thoughts, I can often recognize when they are not based in reality. This lets me work on letting go of the urge to act compulsively to make the stress of the obsessive thoughts dissipate.

Even if you aren’t living with OCD, I offer this question for your own reflective practice. When you’re wrestling with feeling like you aren’t enough or that you’re falling short in life, ask yourself what evidence you have for that belief.

You might just surprise yourself.