Distorted Thinking
Most bad feelings come from illogical thoughts, even though they seem perfectly correct when you think about them. When you uncover the lie that makes up these distorted thoughts, you can change the way you feel.
Here are some ways that Angelique’s thinking was distorted:
All or nothing thinkingShe’s looking at herself in black and white categories, because she sees herself as a total loser.
She’s lost her job but is generalizing to her entire self.
She’s dwelling on this bad event and letting it discolor her entire view of life, much like a drop of ink can discolor a whole glass of water.
She’s overlooking her many good qualities.
She’s blowing this negative event out of proportion.
Angelique reasons from how she feels. She feels like a born loser, so she believes she really is one.
She may have the belief that she should always be successful at things and never fail. She may also believe that if she is a good person and tries hard, life should always go smoothly.
She’s labeling herself as a born loser instead of trying to learn from the situation or thinking about the best way to find a new job.
She’s automatically blaming herself for getting laid off. In fact, lots of people were laid off due to budget changes. Angelique’s employment record has been excellent.
Up Next:
Session 5: The Steps to Feeling Good