Definition: Fortune Telling involves anticipating negative outcomes and assuming they are inevitable, often without any concrete evidence.

How It Works: When you engage in fortune telling, your mind fixates on worst-case scenarios. This distorted thinking filters out any positive or neutral evidence, reinforcing a negative outlook.

Why It Matters: By constantly predicting negative outcomes, you can increase anxiety and stress, potentially limiting your willingness to engage in new experiences.

• Negative Predictions: Believing that a minor setback will spiral into disaster.
• Doomsday Scenarios: Imagining catastrophic outcomes without evidence.
• Avoidance: Skipping opportunities or challenges to avoid the possibility of negative results.
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The belief in an inevitable negative outcome may influence your behavior and increase the likelihood of that outcome.

Engaging in fortune telling can heighten anxiety, stress, and feelings of helplessness. The persistent expectation of negative outcomes not only affects your mood but can also reduce your confidence in making decisions and trying new things.

Over time, this distorted thinking pattern can contribute to chronic anxiety and even depressive symptoms.

1. Mindfulness: Notice when you begin to predict negative outcomes. Acknowledge these thoughts without judgment.

2. Cognitive Restructuring: Challenge your predictions by asking:

• What evidence do I have that this negative outcome is certain?
• What are alternative, more balanced possibilities?
• Have there been times when things turned out better than expected?

3. Behavioral Experiments: Test your predictions by taking small risks. Compare the actual outcome to your feared scenario.

4. Radical Acceptance: Accept that uncertainty is a part of life and that you cannot control every outcome.

Try these exercises to challenge your fortune-telling thoughts:

1. Thought Log: Record instances when you predict negative outcomes. Note the situation, your prediction, and a more balanced interpretation.
2. Evidence Search: For each negative prediction, write down factual evidence that challenges the inevitability of that outcome.
3. Exposure Exercise: Deliberately engage in activities that trigger your fortune-telling. Reflect on how the actual results compare to your predictions.

Fortune Telling can trap you in a cycle of negative expectations and heightened anxiety. By practicing mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and accepting uncertainty, you can challenge these predictions and create a more balanced outlook. Remember, embracing the unknown is a step toward personal growth.