Hahaha! I SO know what you mean! No, thank heavens - affirmations and I aren't on real good terms so I never buy a book that suggests I do them! The exercises I've done so far are more like listing when you have a thought distortion, and then figuring out why you're using it. I found it interesting that the premise is that you're using them for a reason - to either protect you from perceived present or future pain, or to try to get you to take action for something positive. You do though, have to do a 'strengths and weaknesses self-assessment' which although I didn't want to do it first, I can see how it's very helpful in conjunction with the distortions exercises.
Glad to hear you're having a positive visit with your MIL (notwithstanding the interruption in your 'quality time) teehee!
I cannot complain for not receiving from others, that which I've never asked them for.
