Capstone Update #3

Jordana Waugh

- What do I plan to accomplish by the end of the week?

I will implement cognitive diffusion into my routine and track the progress in a weekly journal
update. I will also compile a slide with information and evidence on cognitive diffusion.

- My needs, including time, space, materials, and personal contacts:

I have been struggling to find time outside the class to spend on my capstone, as I have a pretty decent
course load. I would benefit from a bit more class time to work on my project.

- Any obstacles I anticipate

I need to ensure that over the holidays, I am staying consistent. Christmas and New Year’s is an
overwhelming time that often overstimulates me and causes me to shut down. I can utilize my tools to
support me during this holiday season.

- A summary of my progress this week:

I completed implementing my first tool, cognitive restructuring, tracked my thoughts in a thought

tracker, and wrote a weekly journal to track any improvements.

- Core skills I employed, and what I learned

I worked on restructuring my negative thoughts into a more positive outlook and used challenge
questions to challenge my intrusive negative thoughts. Instead of thinking, “my friends don’t want to
hang out with me because I’m not fun and they hate me,” I try to reframe my thought into “my friends
like me; I just wasn’t invited this time, but I am invited most times.” I am more aware of my negative
thoughts when they enter my head. Sometimes it’s hard to restructure my thought if I’m struggling
more or the thought is especially strong and negative, but I’m more aware when it arises.

- Any challenges I encountered and how I moved forward:

It has been hard to implement the tools consistently. When I struggle a lot, I tend to shut down and
isolate myself, and it takes immense effort to work on self-improvement. I didn’t anticipate I would be
struggling so much, so I thought it would be easier. I keep my thought tracker next to my bed to
remind myself to track some of the thoughts I experience throughout the day.

- Pictures, videos, documents: See attachments in teams