I am..., I feel..., I can..., I wish..., I need..., What if..., The world is..

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Model

Group work

Create a set of prompt cards based on 'I' statements.
Create a list of 'I' statements to get people to move
Create a list of 'We' statements
Discuss the 'The world is....' statement' in a group

I am
I think
I feel
I need
I want
I imagine
I should
I hate
I can
I will
I wish
I can't
I hope
I will not
I wonder
I will be
The world is
My life is
I believe
What if

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Individual work:

Write each one of the beginning sentences.
Allow yourself to write what comes into your mind.

Learning Objectives: Why do this?

To get people to talk (Prompt) to each other in a small group

To get a snapshot of where you are right now
To understand how writing (individual work), as well as conversations, can indicate individual views of reality
To experience a rational emotive written and discussion exercise as a personal development device
To share your world view with others and see how it could be used with people as a warmup activity

For reflection:

How do our thoughts effect us? (I statements)
How do they make us feel?
How do your feelings effect our thoughts?
How do we behave because of it?
What are the consequences of our behaviour?
How does our behaviour support or negate our values and beliefs?
How do we see the world?
What is our perceived reality?
What influences our view on reality?
Do you think your reality is the same for everyone?
Do we have an understanding of our core values and beliefs?
Where do you think your values and beliefs come from?
How do we respond when our values and beliefs are challenged?
Do we sometimes 'deny' or become defensive? Does this alert us to a mismatch between our values and beliefs and our thoughts, feelings and behaviour?

If our belief system is negative then ours thoughts an feelings are likely to be too.

If we use the idea of how we see the world as a 'window'; If the window is fogged up with negative beliefs and values we are going to see the world thought this negative fog.
The exercise above gives a snapshot of where we are right now.

Our 'thoughts' come from our feelings and our feeling effect our thoughts.
Our feelings and thoughts come from our needs and desires.
Our perceptual understanding of our reality come from our values and beliefs; they are our lens.
Our belief and values system has been developed throughout our lives; family, culture etc