Cognitive restructuring
'Cognition' is a word used to denote a thought or belief, and 'restructuring' involves challenging a cognition by looking at the evidence for or against it. The basic idea behind cognitive restructuring is that thoughts themselves are not facts; you need to consider whether the thoughts you are having are true and to consider whether there are any other ways to thinking about a particular situation. At first this can be a real challenge: we often believe what we think and don't question our own thoughts. However, often our thinking is biased, and with perfectionism it can be biased towards thinking too negatively and harshly about yourself.
What makes up your self-worth?
In this activity you will create your own self-worth pie chart. For this you will need access to Microsoft Excel or you can complete the exercise using pen and paper.
If using Excel
Download the file below. If you do not wish to download the file, please make your own pie chart by using Charts in Excel.
If using pen and paper
Start by drawing a circle on the lower half of your page and number a list from 1-10 on the top half of your page.
Assign each of these areas a percentage (%) value as to how much it contributes to your self-worth. Make sure your final values sum up to 100%.
If using Excel
The file you have downloaded will automatically move your responses into the pie chart, giving you a visual representation of your self-worth attributes.
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If using pen and paper
Fill in the circle by hand, divide up the sections of your pie so they correlate with the value (%) you attribute to each section.
Reflection
Now you have a visual representation of your self-worth, it's time to take a closer look at what you are basing your value on.
Think about the following questions while going over your chart.
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How many factors are there which contribute to my self-worth?
Which slice makes up the biggest portion of my pie?
How many of these factors are within my control?
How many of these factors are outside of my control? ​
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How much variety is there in these factors which make up my self-worth?