I'll do it and it'll be good.

Automatic evaluative thoughts play an important role in our lives, and I'll talk about them in more detail later. They trigger our own internal "superpowers" and "superweaknesses" - dopamine and cortisol. Let's look at some examples that show how we activate these processes ourselves.

Example 1: You decide to start exercising to improve your physical condition and well-being.

The automatic positive thought is, "When I exercise regularly, my body will be strong and I will be healthy and energetic." This notion triggers a dopamine surge, making you anticipate the joy of your future results.

Example 2: You make the decision to end a toxic relationship and start a new life.

The automatic positive thought is, "Without this person in my life, I will be free and happy, and I can have a healthy relationship." The expectation of positive change causes a dopamine spike and motivates you to move forward.

Example 3: You decide to change your job to a more interesting and better-paying one.

The automatic positive thought is "I will get more opportunities for growth, higher pay and a pleasant team at the new place. The anticipation of positive results creates a joy of anticipation and hydrates you.

It is important to note that automatic evaluative thoughts can be either positive or negative.

In the case of negative thoughts, we experience anxiety and anticipation of unpleasant consequences, which leads to the production of cortisol. Therefore, developing the ability to manage our thoughts and focus on the positive aspects of life can help us deal with negative emotions and enjoy the joy of anticipating positive outcomes.

Let's take another look at examples of negative automatic evaluative thoughts that can lead to anxiety, fears, and negative expectations.

Example 1: You are planning to perform in public and you think,

"I will definitely fail, everyone will laugh at me, and I will be embarrassed."

This negative thought triggers cortisol and sends you anxiety and danger signals that could make your performance difficult.

Example 2: You are thinking about changing jobs and your automatic negative thought is,

"If I leave this job, I won't find a new one and I will be left without a livelihood."

This notion creates a fear of uncertainty and failure, causing a cortisol spike and paralyzing anxiety.

Example 3: You prepare for a date and think,

"This person probably won't want to keep talking to me because I'm not interesting/handsome/smart enough."

This negative self evaluation can lead to self-sabotage, insecurity, and increased anxiety, which reduces the chances of a successful date.

Managing negative automatic evaluative thoughts is the key to reducing anxiety and developing a positive perception of life. Tracking and rethinking these thoughts can help us deal with negative emotions and focus on the positive aspects of our experience.