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The Downward Arrow
Surface thoughts usually sit on top of a deeper belief about ourselves. The downward arrow follows a thought down, one step at a time, until you reach the root. Go gently — the bottom of the arrow can be tender.
Start at the top
The surface thought
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Follow it down
For each line, ask: 'If that were true, what would it mean — about me, my life, or the future?'
…then that would mean:
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…and if that were true, it would mean:
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…and that would mean:
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…the deepest version (a core belief about me):
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Meet the core belief
Where might I have first learned this? (often years of being misunderstood, masking, or criticized)
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A kinder, truer belief
If I could install a fairer core belief instead, it would be…
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Core beliefs are installed, not earned: Beliefs like 'I'm too much' or 'I'm broken' are usually put there by an unaccommodating world — not facts about who you are. They can be updated.
Go deeper
Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.
- Perseveration, Rumination, and Thought Loops, from The Neurodivergent Brain. Why the neurodivergent mind gets stuck — monotropism, why 'just stop' fails, perseveration vs OCD, and exits that work.
- Self-Esteem, Identity, and Late Diagnosis, from The Neurodivergent Brain. Why misunderstanding erodes neurodivergent self-worth, what late diagnosis really feels like, and how to reauthor your story.
- Therapy, Coaching, and Skills That Actually Help, from The Adult ADHD Course. Why willpower fails and scaffolding works: skills that fit the ADHD brain, coaching, and self-compassion.