Tool 1: The mood and sleep check-in
Tracking your mood and sleep for a few weeks can show patterns that are easy to miss. Rate your mood from 1 (very low) to 10 (very good) at the same time each day. Add a few words about what happened.
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Day |
Hours slept |
Mood (1 to 10) |
Energy (1 to 10) |
What helped or hurt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Example: Monday |
6 |
4 |
3 |
Rushed morning; walk at lunch helped |
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Day 1 |
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Day 2 |
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Day 3 |
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Day 4 |
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Day 5 |
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Day 6 |
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Day 7 |
After one week, ask yourself:
- On which days was my mood best, and what was different?
- What happened on the lowest days?
- How did sleep and mood seem to affect each other?
- What one small change could I try next week?
Tool 2: The thought record
When a strong, upsetting feeling arrives, write down what happened and look at your thinking with a little distance. This is a core skill of cognitive behavioural therapy.
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Step |
Your notes |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Situation |
Where, when, with whom? |
My friend did not reply to my message |
|
2. Feeling and strength (0 to 100) |
Name the emotion |
Anxious, 70 |
|
3. Automatic thought |
What went through my mind? |
She is angry with me |
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4. Evidence for the thought |
Facts only |
She has not replied for a day |
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5. Evidence against it |
Facts only |
She is often busy; she was friendly last week |
|
6. Balanced thought |
A fairer view |
She may be busy. I can check in later |
|
7. Feeling now (0 to 100) |
Re-rate the feeling |
Anxious, 35 |
Try this tool for at least five situations. The goal is not to think positively at all costs but to think accurately and kindly.
Tool 3: Pleasant and meaningful activities
When mood is low, we often stop doing the things that give us energy, which makes mood worse. Behavioural activation reverses the cycle. Write down activities in three groups.
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Group |
Examples |
Your list |
|---|---|---|
|
Pleasure |
Music, a favourite meal, a warm shower, a funny show |
|
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Mastery (a sense of achievement) |
Tidying a drawer, finishing a task, learning something |
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Connection |
A call to a friend, a walk with a neighbour, a shared meal |
Plan three activities for this week, one from each group. Make them small and specific.
- What will I do, and when?
- What might get in the way, and how will I handle it?
- After doing it, how did I feel from 1 to 10?
Tool 4: Know your values
Values are the things that matter to you most. They give direction when motivation is low. Read the areas below and write one or two words about what matters to you in each, then one small action you could take this week.
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Area of life |
What matters to me |
One small step this week |
|---|---|---|
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Family and close relationships |
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Friendship and community |
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Work, study, or learning |
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Health and body |
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Growth and creativity |
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Fun and rest |
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Meaning, faith, or purpose |
Tool 5: A calming routine for strong feelings
Practice these skills when you are calm, so they are easier to use when you are not. If one skill does not suit you, try another.
- Slow breathing. Breathe in gently through your nose for about four counts and out through your mouth for about six. Repeat for a few minutes.
- Grounding with the senses. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste.
- Muscle release. Tense a group of muscles for a few seconds, then let go. Move from your feet up to your face.
- Move. A short walk or some stretching changes your body state quickly.
- Reach out. Send a message or call someone safe.
- Write it out. Spend ten minutes writing about what you feel, without worrying about spelling or style.
My top three calming skills are:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Tool 6: My personal well-being plan
A written plan makes good intentions easier to follow. Fill in each part in your own words.
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Part of the plan |
My answer |
|---|---|
|
Things that keep me well (sleep, movement, food, friends, hobbies) |
|
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Early warning signs that I am struggling |
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Things that usually make it worse |
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Things I can do on my own when warning signs appear |
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People I can talk to |
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Professionals or services I can contact |
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What I will do if things get worse |
Share your plan with one trusted person and keep a copy where you can find it easily.
Tool 7: My safety plan
A safety plan is a short, practical list you prepare while you are feeling relatively well, to use if you ever feel overwhelmed or unsafe. It works best when written with a counsellor or doctor, and it is fine to ask for help creating one.
- My warning signs: the thoughts, moods, or situations that tell me I may be heading toward a crisis.
- Things I can do alone to stay safe or calm: such as grounding, music, a walk, or a shower.
- People and places that help me feel better: friends, family, or public spaces where I feel safe.
- People I can ask for help: names and phone numbers of at least two trusted people.
- Professionals and people I can contact: names, numbers, and opening hours.
- Making my surroundings safer: asking a trusted person to help keep anything that could be dangerous out of easy reach.
- A reason to keep going: one thing, person, or hope that matters to me.
Tool 8: Weekly review
Once a week, spend ten minutes with these questions. They keep your plan alive and help you notice progress, however small.
- What went well this week?
- What was hard, and what did I learn?
- Which tool helped most?
- Whom did I connect with?
- What is one thing I will do next week to care for my mind?
- What am I grateful for today?
Progress is rarely a straight line. Some weeks will feel better than others. What matters is that you keep returning to the practice with patience and kindness toward yourself.
This book is for education and general awareness. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a qualified professional. If anyone is in danger, contact your local emergency services.