5 Types of Stinking Thinking
Have you ever walked into your home or apartment and smelled something rotten? You start looking high and low for its cause because you cannot wait to get rid of it. Many people experience stinking thinking. Yet, instead of getting rid of it like finding its source and getting rid of it in their home, they allow it to take root and grow. Here are some examples of stinking thinking you will want to get rid of in your life.
All-or-nothing
If you see everything as either black-or-white, then you have all-or-nothing thinking. A common example is that you steal a bite of cupcake off your significant other’s plate, so you think your diet is completely ruined and you eat the other 11 cupcakes before the night is over. If you experience all-or-nothing thinking, then find the good things about every situation and focus on those. Understand that setbacks will happen and resolve to move forward.
Overgeneralization
If you practice overgeneralization, then you think that one negative defines you for the rest of your life. Realize that every situation that you face is unique. Therefore, learn the lessons that you can from it and move forward.
Mental Filter
You take the one negative thing and make it so big that you ignore all the positives. For example, you make one social media post and many people agree with you, but one person makes a comment that is mildly critical and that is all you remember. Taking a step back and concentrating on the big picture helps to eliminate this type of thinking.
Discounting the Positive
When good things happen in your life, then you believe that it was just a freak occurrence because you believe that nothing good can really happen for you. Since things are seldom perfect, you end up seeing life as a series of failures. Instead, of thinking that way, learn to tell yourself to stop when someone gives you a compliment. Celebrate small successes as they will snowball into even larger successes.
Jumping to Conclusions
People who jump to conclusions are quick to assume that things are wrong. For instance, they may assume that an email contains bad news when a person is just wanting to confirm details or that someone failed to complete a to-do list because they seem to have completed the list too quickly. If you find yourself guilty of jumping to conclusions, then remind yourself of times that you jumped to the wrong conclusion and things turned out beautifully. You may also want to force yourself to look at the bigger picture when little things go wrong.
These are just some of the types of stinking thinking that a person may experience. Attending counseling in Orlando at Orlando Thrive Therapy is a great place to start. If you fail to recognize stinking thinking in your life, then it often leads to deeper problems, so give them a call today at (407)592-8997 to set up your first appointment.
