Think better,live better.

My name is Sakshi. and I jump to conclusions. "That woman I just met probably doesn't like me." "Nobody's going to read this." These thoughts pop up in my head without any conscious effort on my part, and I feel so sure of them. But I have no supporting evidence for these conclusions.

Maybe you just jumped to the conclusion that you don't jump to conclusions. That might be true, but you don't really know whether or not you do until you think hard about it.

Jumping to conclusions is an example of what is known in the field of psychology as a "cognitive distortion," a term that means we have a skewed perspective on situations we're in, our own selves or people around us. My perspective on how people feel about me and the value of my writing is often skewed; perhaps your ideas about your own thinking are skewed.

In the article, "The Importance of Good Thinking," the author points out that the way we think influences the choices we make. We can't make good choices if we don't have an accurate view of ourselves, of others and the situations we're in.

That's why it's important to understand what your own cognitive distortions are. We likely all have them – for some of us, they cause tremendous anxiety or depression, while for others, they simply get us into trouble now and then. But we can limit their effects on our lives.

I'm working to correct my thinking so I can live a better life, and in this article series, I'll provide you with information that will empower you to do the same.

The first step toward changing your thinking is learning about the different types of cognitive distortions and how to identify them. You'll have to question yourself, and that's uncomfortable. It means acknowledging that sometimes, you might not have the right idea about things, despite how sure you may feel. This will take vigilance and self-reflection, as many of the thoughts you have are habits – they occur automatically, and you may not even be aware of them.

Below, you'll find a list of the more prevalent cognitive distortions. Which ones do you recognize in your own thinking?

Cognitive Distortions

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Albert Einstein

1. Jumping to Conclusions

We jump to conclusions when we are convinced of something even though we have no evidence to support it. Two common ways for jumped-to conclusions to manifest are fortune-telling and mind-reading. Fortune-telling means you convince yourself that something bad will happen even though there's no firm reason to suspect it. Mind-reading involves assuming you know what another person is thinking or feeling without having a solid reason.

Examples:

"There's no way I'll get the job I just applied for."

"That person I just met probably hates me."

"She hasn't called in a while. She must not care about me anymore."

Zebra

2. All-or-Nothing Thinking

This cognitive distortion is also known as "black-and-white" thinking. It's what we do when we don't acknowledge that, in most situations, there are "shades of grey." We think everything is either good or bad; complete success or complete failure; that there is no middle ground. There are several ways such thinking can manifest.

Examples:

"I didn't get the job I wanted. I am a complete failure."

"My boyfriend did something inconsiderate yesterday. He must not care about me at all."

"Lying is always bad; if you've told a lie, you're a bad person."

3. Filtering

We apply a mental filter to situations in our lives when we overemphasize the negatives and ignore the positives. This is also referred to as "maximizing/minimizing" – maximizing the negative and minimizing the positive.

Examples:

A student submits a paper to his professor and receives both glowing comments and critical ones. He ignores the positive feedback he receives and dwells on the more critical comments, causing him to feel inadequate.

A man gets splashed with some mud on his way to work, and he feels the whole day is ruined.

A woman gives a presentation at work, and one colleague was not paying attention, while the others expressed appreciation of her work. She concludes that her presentation was boring and is angry with herself.

4. Catastrophizing

This is a more extreme form of maximizing the negative; it happens when you first assume a negative outcome will occur, and then think that the negative outcome would be an all-out catastrophe.

Examples:

"If I don't get this particular job, I'll be unemployed forever and have to live on the streets."

"The pain that I'm feeling now will never go away. It will ruin my life."

"If I get sick, I'll have to miss work. I'll be fired and then will starve."

5. Labeling

Labeling involves reducing ourselves and/or others to narrow, and often negative, definitions. When you label yourself, you can lose motivation to make positive changes in your life by assuming that the label sums up "just how you are," and you might not try things you otherwise would. When you label others, you don't give them the chance to show you other sides of themselves.

Examples:

"I lost the game, therefore I'm a loser."

"He lost his job and hasn't found another one yet. What a dead-beat!"

"I didn't get the job I wanted. I am a complete failure." (overlaps with all-or-nothing thinking)

Puppets

6. External Control Fallacy

We express this cognitive distortion when we have an overly-limited sense of our own control over things – when we feel like we're helpless leaves being blown about by the winds of fate.

People with this distortion feel more helpless than they really are, and tend not to take responsibility for things that happen in their lives.

Examples:

After not doing homework for two months: "I get bad grades because my teachers don't like me."

After losing a promotion to someone with more qualifications: "I didn't get the promotion – that other guy must have cheated somehow.

After being late for the third day in a row: "I got fired because my boss is a jerk."

7. Internal Control Fallacy

This is the opposite of the external control fallacy; it occurs when you take too much responsibility for situations around yourself. "Personalizing" is another term for this.

The internal control fallacy may stem from perfectionism – the idea that there is one way for things to be done, and you have to do everything yourself for things to be done right. Or, a person might feel an inflated sense of responsibility for the well-being of others.