5. Don't replay imaginary scenes in your head

We’ve all experienced getting bullied or criticized and then, hours later, coming up with a good zinger we wish we had said in the moment. We replay the scene in our head, spinning out what we wanted to have happened instead of what actually went down.

But replaying scenes in your head is a two-sided coin. If you replay the scene and imagine getting what you needed in the moment—feeling empowered, soothed, it can be an extremely worthwhile daydream. In fact, when done with a qualified therapist, this is called imagery rescripting , and is a cutting -edge tool in treating trauma survivors.