Question 1: Identify one negative self-statement that you that you tell yourself about yourself that is related in some way to communication (public speaking, how well you do meeting new people, etc.)

• What is the specific message you "tell yourself" intra-personally? (Example: I tell myself that: "I am not good .... in/at..................)
• What fears or worries is this message based on?
• What are you worried that people will think about you or are expecting from you in this type of situation?(When I'm at a party or other social gathering, I worry that people will think.....)

• Question 2: Referring to question #1, describe a specific instance when that "message" (from question #1) helped to build a NEGATIVE self-fulfilling prophesy. (Refer to a specific comm related / social/ public event, as in, an ACTUAL party, gathering, speech, etc.)
  • Name the specific prophesy you "told yourself" about the outcome of that event. (Last week I was invited to a party and I didn't know many people. I told myself that : "I won't have fun at this party (because I am not good in social situations")
  • Explain how this prophesy affect your behaviors BEFORE and /or DURING this event/situation. What did you DO (or NOT DO)? (At the party I ...)
  • What was the outcome of that situation? (I had a bad time at the party....")
  • How do you think your "prophesy/prediction" affected this outcome?
  • In other words, explain how your intrapersonal messages & behaviors made your "prophesy" actually become "true."
  • In your response, show me that you understand how a self-fulfilling prophesy "works."
• Question 3: Referring to question #1, explain how you can turn around this negative message into a more positive, rational and realistic one, if you ever are facing a similar situation in the future.
  • What is the new (positive) message? (State it in the form of a specific statement: ( I will tell myself that: "I can be just fine in ...)
  • Discuss how rational and realistic each of the fears/worries/expectations you mentioned in question #1
  • Now create new specific intrapersonal messages that you will need to tell yourself to help you overcome your fears & worries that you discussed in question #1. ("When I meet new people they will not find me boring." "They do expect me to the most interesting person in the universe."......)
  • With these new messages in mind, explain how you will behave differently the next time you are in a situation similar to the one you discussed in question # ("The next time I am at a party with people I don't know that well, I will ....")

Note:

• Remember to be specific, rational, and realistic when stating your new prophesy, messages and behaviors.