MPI
Anxiety → Action Skill #1

Catch it, Check it, Change it

A method to identify negative thoughts, evaluate their truth, and create balanced perspectives.
Catch it, Check it, Change it

Key ideas

Skill summary

Three quick reminders before you start.

DO
Catch your worried thought. Ask: “Is this a fact or just a feeling?”
WHY
This helps you see the thought more clearly and feel calmer.
LEVEL UP
Change it to a calmer, more balanced thought.

Overview

This technique helps you manage how you react to stressful situations by looking closely at your thoughts. Instead of letting automatic reactions take over, you learn to pause and see if your worries match reality. It is a practical way to shift your mood and build more helpful thinking habits for daily life.

How Your Brain Works

Your brain uses two main parts to manage your feelings and your ability to think clearly.

Amygdala

The Guard Dog

The alarm system. Reacts to stress with fight-or-flight responses.

Prefrontal Cortex

The Wise Owl

Logic and calm decision-making, best accessed when the alarm quiets down.

The Alarm System

  • Inside your brain, there is a part called the Guard Dog (the amygdala). Its job is to keep you safe by barking at threats. Sometimes, the Guard Dog gets too excited. It might bark at things that are not actually dangerous, like a test or a text message, creating worried thoughts based on feelings rather than reality.

The Thinking Centre

  • High above the Guard Dog is the Wise Owl (the prefrontal cortex). This is the part of your brain that solves problems and evaluates facts. When the Wise Owl is active, it can help the Guard Dog settle down by checking if the threat is real or just a misunderstanding. It provides a balanced perspective that calms the body centre.

The Shift

  • This skill builds a bridge between these two parts. By practicing, you help the Wise Owl take charge more often. Instead of letting automatic reactions take over, you are training your brain to pause. This makes it easier to stay calm even when the Guard Dog starts to get noisy, leading to a more balanced and steady mood.

How to Use This Skill

Think of this skill as a way to train your brain's Wise Owl to manage the Guard Dog's noise whenever you feel stressed.

1

Catch it

Notice when you think 'I am not good at this' and simply label it as a thought you are having right now.

2

Check it

Ask yourself, 'Is there proof that this thought is 100 percent true, or am I just feeling stressed because of one bad day?'

3

Change it

Swap 'I will never get this' with 'This is hard right now, but I have figured out tough things before and I can do it again.'

Real-Life Example

The Test Result Turnaround

The Low Mark

You open a math test and see a grade that is much lower than you expected or wanted, which causes an immediate sting.

The Guard Dog's Panic

The thought pops up: 'I am going to fail this whole class and I am just not smart enough for this subject.'

Using the Steps

  1. Catch it: You realize you are having a 'failure' thought and notice your heart is racing.
  2. Check it: You ask if it is a fact. You remember you did well on the last quiz, so the 'I am not smart' part is just a feeling.
  3. Change it: You decide to think, 'This one test was tough, but I can ask for help on the parts I missed and improve next time.'

The Wise Owl calms the Guard Dog down. Instead of avoiding schoolwork, you feel ready to try a different study plan.

Practice Tips

Here are a few ways to make this skill a regular part of your routine to help your brain stay strong.

  • Keep a Thought Log

    Writing down your thoughts helps your Wise Owl spot patterns and get better at catching them early.

  • Slow Your Breathing

    Taking a few deep breaths while you check your thoughts helps signal to the Guard Dog that it is safe to relax.

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