Emotion Regulation Handout 7

Steps for Increasing Positive Emotions

BUILD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
Short Term:
Do pleasant things that are possible now.
Increase pleasant events that prompt positive emotions
Do ONE THING each day from the Adult Pleasant Events Schedule - see Emotion Regulation Handout 8
Long Term
Make changes in your life so that positive events will occur more often.
Build a "life worth living."
Work towards goals: ACCUMULATE POSITIVES
Make a list of positive events you want
List small steps towards goals
Take the first step

ATTEND TO RELATIONSHIPS
Repair old relationships
Reach out for new relationships
Work on current relationships

AVOID AVOIDING
Avoid giving up

BE MINDFUL OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
FOCUS your attention on positive events that happen
REFOCUS when your mind wanders to the negative
Be UNMINDFUL of worries

DISTRACT from:
Thinking about when the positive experience WILL END
Thinking about whether you DESERVE this positive experience
Thinking about how much more might be EXPECTED of you now