Now that you’ve looked for the first 5 thought errors………could you be making any from the rest of the list?! Read here to check out thought errors 6-10.
- MAGNIFICATION (CATASTROPHIZING):
You blow things way out of proportion. “This is terrible! This ruins everything!” …………
……………change to, “This happened this one time, and while I don’t like what happened, I am living through this, and I can learn from this.”
OR MINIMIZATION:
You shrink their importance.
“I’m stupid and can’t do this”……..
……………. change to, “I am smart enough to work my way through this. I can do this, with help and hard work. I’m smarter than I think I am.”
- EMOTIONAL REASONING:
You reason from how you feel.
“I feel like an idiot, so I must really be one.”
“I feel so guilty, so I must have screwed up big time! I’m worthless.”………
……………change to, “I feel badly, but I can work my way through this, and I’ll feel better as I do.”
- SHOULD STATEMENTS:
You criticize yourself (or other people) with “shoulds”, “oughts”, “musts’ and “have tos”.
“I should be a better student.” ………
……….….Change to, “I’m willing to get help in this class.”
“She ought not have done that, and I’m really pissed off!”…….
……………Change to, “I didn’t like that she did that. I can’t change that she did doit. I will live through this.”
- LABELING:
Instead of saying, “I made a mistake,” you tell yourself , “I’m a jerk” or “a fool” or “a loser”.
“I’m a fool for believing that scammer!” ………
………….…change to, “I’m one of many people this has happened to. It sucks, but I’ll live through it, and I’ll be on the lookout for this. Being aware makes me wiser.”
- PERSONALIZATION AND BLAME: You blame yourself for something you weren’t entirely responsible for, or you blame other people and deny your role in the problem.
“It’s my fault my colleague is so upset. I must have done something wrong.”……….
………change to, “My colleague is upset. I wonder what is going on with her? Did something happen?”
How do these thought mistakes affect you?
Try out losing these thoughts, and see how you feel. Please let me know!
Book Shelf:
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns, MD
Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life by Matthew McKay, Phd, Martha Davis, PhD, & Patrick Fanning
Magnificent Mind At Any Age: Treat Anxiety, Depression, Memory Problems, ADD and Insomnia by Daniel Amen, MD
