cognitive behavioural interpersonal skills manual - GPSC

DEPRESSIon’s EnERGY BuDGET (conTInuED)Increasing the Size of Your Resource BoxIt’s important to go slowly.1 Don’t push yourself outside your box.2 However small your box, use a bit of your daily resources to do anti-depressionactivities such as self care, exercise, relaxation, hobbies etc.3 Healthy energy and motivation are released and increased when you reducenegative thoughts and replace them with more realistic, helpful thoughts.4 Repeat and persist — it is far more effective to do a very small thing 100 times thanto do a big thing once. You are trying to develop new habits, and these only comewith frequent practice.5 Congratulate yourself for every effort you make no matter how small. The brainresponds very well to this kind of appreciation and you will be rewarded with moreresources, such as hope, well-being, energy and self-confidence.CBIS Manual | JunE 2009actiVATion | 36