At night before you go to bed, take some time to reset your mindset. By writing down your most stressful thoughts then asking yourself the following five questions before your head hits your pillow, you are setting yourself up for a peaceful, worry-free morning!

1. Is the stressful thought true?

Ask yourself if the thought you wrote down is true. You’ll be surprised how many times the answer is no and the stress of it vanishes instantly.

2. Can you absolutely know it’s true?

The answer to the first question could be uncertain. Knowing the absoluteness of the worry can open your mind to find the real answers to what we think we know.

3. What happens when I believe that thought?

What do you feel? How do you treat the person (or the situation) you’ve written about, how do you treat yourself, when you believe that thought? Now you begin to notice internal cause and effect that can range from mild discomfort to fear or panic.

4. Without this thought who would I be?

How would things be different if you didn’t have the ability to think the stressful thought? How would you feel? Do you prefer life with or without the thought? Which feels kinder, more peaceful?

5. How do I turn the thought around?

Flipping the thought will give you the opportunity to experience the opposite of what you believe. Determine specific examples of how the opposite or turnaround can be and is true in your life.

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama XIV