ABC PLEASE

A – Accumulate positive experiences
B – Build mastery
C – Cope ahead

PL – Treat Physical illness
E – Eat balanced meals
A – Avoid mood-altering substances
S – Sleep enough
E – Exercise regularly

You don’t need to do everything perfectly. But consistently applying even a few of these gives you more emotional resilience. Think of it as setting yourself up to win, on the days when life tries to throw everything at you.

A – Accumulate Positive Experiences

Do things that create joy, satisfaction, and connection. This helps build a life that feels worth living.

Start small:
- Watch a funny video
- Hug a pet
- Text someone you like
- Listen to music you love

Take 15 minutes to do something fun on purpose

Also work on long-term goals: hobbies, relationships, and values-driven projects. Things that give life meaning.

B – Build Mastery

Do something that challenges you just enough to feel accomplished. Not so hard that you get discouraged, not so easy that it doesn’t matter.

Examples:
- Learn a new recipe
- Finish a task you’ve been avoiding
- Practice a skill or hobby
- Tidy up a space

This gives you a sense of control and progress, which directly fights feelings of helplessness.

C – Cope Ahead

Think about future situations that might be stressful, and rehearse how you'll handle them.

You can:
- Visualize the event going well
- Imagine using DBT skills during tough moments
- Practice calming statements in advance

Before a tough family dinner, you picture yourself using STOP and doing a half smile. Just imagining it helps you feel a little more in control before you even walk in.

PL – Treat Physical Illness

If you’re sick, injured, or ignoring a health issue, your mood and thinking will suffer. Take medication as prescribed. Rest. Go to the doctor if needed.

Your body isn’t separate from your mind. They work together.

E – Eat Balanced Meals

You don’t need a perfect diet. But try to avoid skipping meals or living on sugar and caffeine. Blood sugar crashes mimic emotional crashes.

Eat regularly, and eat foods that fuel, not deplete you.

A – Avoid Mood-Altering Substances

Alcohol, drugs, and even excessive caffeine or sugar can throw your emotional balance out of whack. Especially if you’re already vulnerable.

Check in with yourself: is what you’re consuming helping or harming your emotional stability?

S – Sleep Enough

Sleep affects everything. Focus, memory, emotion regulation, pain tolerance, stress response. Lack of sleep is a fast-track to emotional meltdowns.

Aim for a sleep schedule that works for your body. If that’s hard, start by setting a consistent bedtime or creating a wind-down routine.

E – Exercise Regularly

You don’t have to be a gym rat. Just move your body. Walk. Stretch. Dance. Clean the house while playing music. Movement reduces stress hormones and boosts feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.

You don’t have to overhaul your whole life. Just ask yourself:

- Did I do at least one thing today to build joy?
- Did I challenge myself a little?
- Am I avoiding obvious stress triggers like lack of sleep or skipping meals?

When your body and brain are better taken care of, DBT skills like STOP, TIPP, and Wise Mind are easier to access.