Questions to ask yourself when feeling worried about something

Written By Anna Selassie

A gentle self-check to calm spiralling thoughts

Worry can feel overwhelming — fast, loud, and convincing. But not all thoughts are facts, and some gentle reflection can help you slow things down and regain perspective.

Next time anxiety shows up, try asking yourself:

🌿 Thought-challenging prompts

  • What’s the evidence against my thought?

  • What would I say to a friend or a child if they had this thought?

  • What would a kind friend say to me right now?

  • Will I still be worrying about this in a year? A month? Even next week?

  • Is there another way of looking at this?

  • Is this a fact — or just an opinion?

These questions don’t dismiss your emotions. They give you space to reflect and respond more calmly.

💡 Want to explore further?

Have a look at this great visual guide to thought challenging from GetSelfHelp.co.uk.

🧘‍♀️ Final tip:

You can even write down your answers in a notebook or phone note when worries get loud. Naming the thought, then questioning it with kindness, is a powerful skill to build over time.

Anna Selassie
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