🌟 ⭐ 🌟 How's your style? 👚 👢 🧥

I'm not one for focusing on my wardrobe, and have generally chosen comfort and practicality over what's currently 'in fashion'. That doesn't mean I don't get any compliments though, as I've often preferred a few key items, such as a timeless jacket or a crackin' pair of boots.

One particular style I am quite partial to though, is that of my 'Explanatory Style', as developed by Martin Seligman and colleagues.

Our Explanatory Style is how we explain the events we experience to ourselves. It's often habitual and sub-conscious and it can affect our happiness and wellbeing far more than any item of clothing could.

Explanatory Style breaks down into three main categories:

⭐ Permanence ⭐ Do we see setbacks as temporary or forever?
⭐ Pervasiveness ⭐ Is a setback in one area of our life seen to ruin everything?
⭐ Personalisation ⭐ How much do we blame ourselves for the bad (or the good)?

This has been on mind recently as my children (ages 8,8,6) are beginning to explain different events to themselves (and us), and often get caught up in thinking something can't change, or that they may be wholly responsible for something. We often do the same thing as adults though, especially in the midst of a crisis.

This is far more nuanced and complicated than can be put in a quick blog post, but by increasing our awareness of the things we say to ourselves during an event, and then questioning our automatic assumptions with empathy and genuine curiosity, we can avoid untruths and help protect our mental health and wellbeing a little more.