DBT Steps for Increasing Positive Emotions
BUILD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
Short Term:
Do pleasant things that are possible now.
Increase pleasant events that prompt positive emotions
Do ONE THING each day from the Adult Pleasant Events Schedule - see Emotion Regulation Handout 8
Make changes in your life so that positive events will occur more often.
Build a “life worth living.”
Work towards goals: ACCUMULATE POSITIVES
Make a list of positive events you want
List small steps towards goals
ATTEND TO RELATIONSHIPS
Repair old relationships
Reach out for new relationships
Work on current relationships
AVOID AVOIDING
Avoid giving up
BE MINDFUL OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
FOCUS your attention on positive events that happen
REFOCUS when your mind wanders to the negative
Be UNMINDFUL of worries
DISTRACT from:
Thinking about when the positive experience WILL END
Thinking about whether you DESERVE this positive experience
Thinking about how much more might be EXPECTED of you now
More in-depth here: Paying Attention to Positives