Big changes come from small, repeatable moves. These micro‑skills fit into crowded days and help you course‑correct in minutes—not hours. Practice them until they become muscle memory.
1) Breath Reset (90 seconds)
How: Inhale 4, exhale 6–8. Relax shoulders and jaw. Keep breathing light and quiet.
Why: Lengthened exhale nudges the nervous system toward calm, which makes reframing thoughts easier.
Why: Lengthened exhale nudges the nervous system toward calm, which makes reframing thoughts easier.
2) Label the Thought (30 seconds)
How: Say, “I’m having the thought that…” and name the content (e.g., “this will go badly”).
Why: Labeling creates psychological distance and reduces fusion with the thought.
Why: Labeling creates psychological distance and reduces fusion with the thought.
3) Two‑Column Reframe (2 minutes)
How: Draw two columns: Evidence For / Evidence Against. Write 2–3 bullet points each. Craft one balanced sentence you can believe.
Why: Balanced thoughts drive better actions than either negativity or forced positivity.
Why: Balanced thoughts drive better actions than either negativity or forced positivity.
4) Tiny Value Action (1–5 minutes)
How: Pick one value (kindness, learning, courage). Do a single action aligned with it: send a thank‑you, read one paragraph, tidy one shelf.
Why: Behavior changes state; tiny actions restore momentum.
Why: Behavior changes state; tiny actions restore momentum.
5) Micro‑Exposure (up to 10 minutes)
How: Approach a mildly feared but safe situation (email your question, make the short call). Stay long enough for discomfort to drop by ~30–50% without using safety behaviors.
Why: Your brain relearns “I can handle this.”
Why: Your brain relearns “I can handle this.”
Pocket Scripts
- “Uncertainty is not danger. I’ll take one step.”
- “Feelings are data, not directives.”
- “I will do the helpful thing, not the perfect thing.”
7‑Day Micro‑Skill Plan
- Mon: Breath Reset + Two‑Column Reframe on one annoyance.
- Tue: Tiny Value Action (≤5 min) + Thank‑you message.
- Wed: Micro‑Exposure (send the email; stay with the urge to avoid).
- Thu: Breath Reset every time you unlock the phone (2 sets).
- Fri: Two‑Column Reframe + one sentence you’ll act on.
- Sat: Value Walk—10 minutes noticing sights and labeling “appreciate…”
- Sun: Quick review—what helped most? Plan two micro‑skills for next week.
Save this page or add the steps to your notes app. BetterThoughts can prompt these micro‑skills and store your reframes on‑device.