Identifying Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors

Compare & Depsair

Seeing only positive aspects at in others, but never ourselves

Negative thoughts -

"I often find it hard to concentrate - I must be really stupid."

Neutral thoughts -

"I think I will buy some bread today."

Positive thoughts -

"This is something I think I can do really well."

Memories

A situation can trigger an upsetting memory, leading us to believe that the danger is present, rather than in the past

If thinking influences feelings, then it makes sense to...

Change the way you think, in order to change the way you feel

Mind-Reading

Assuming we know what others are thinking

Black & White Thinking

Believing that something or someone can be only good or bad, right or wrong, rather than anything in-between or 'shades of grey'

Prediction

Believing we know what's going to happen in the future

Mountains & Molehills

Exaggerating the risk of danger, or the negatives

Catastrophising

Imagining and believing that the worst possible thing will happen

What greatly influenced how we feel?

It is our interpretation of things

Judgements

Making judgements about events, others, and the world rather than what we actually see, and have evidence for

What are some thinking traps?

Mental filter Judgements Mind-reading Emotional reasoning Prediction Mountains & molehills Compare and despair Catastrophising Black & white thinking Shoulds & musts Memories Critical self

What are the three kinds of automatic thoughts?

Neutral thoughts Positive thoughts Negative thoughts

What determine how we as individuals will think, feel, and behave?

Our "internal guide" (interpretation) will base a decision, as to whether, something is; good, bad, dangerous, or safe etc.

What plays a very important role in our emotional well-being?

Our automatic thoughts

What greatly influences our emotions and actions?

Our thoughts and beliefs about an event or situation

How do our thoughts help us to interpret the world around us?

Our thoughts describe what's happening and try to make sense of it by helping us interpret events, sights, sounds, smells, and feelings

Critical Self

Putting ourselves down, self-criticism, blaming ourselves for events or situations that are not (totally) our responsibility

What will help to consider automatic thoughts before reacting negatively?

The habit of slowing them down

Shoulds & Musts

Thinking or saying 'I should' (or shouldn't) and "i must" puts pressure on ourselves and sets up unrealistic expectations

True or False: Automatic thoughts can be about anything at all.

True

True or False: It is largely accepted that feelings and emotions we experience, are as a result of external events, situations, or even the behaviors of others.

True

True or False: Often we are not aware of our thoughts and beliefs because they are so automatic

True

True or False: What really makes us feel and respond the way we do, is often not the event or situation, neither the words, or actions of others, but, how we perceive them.

True

Mental Filter

When we only notice what the filter wants or allows us to notice, whilst anything realistic or positive is dismissed

Can we be unaware of our thinking?

Yes; the same way we are not always aware of how we walk, talk, or even drive a car

Emotional Reasoning

You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are: "I feel it, therefore it must be true."

What if you thought: Albert must think I am so boring, nobody wants to talk with me, I must be such an uninteresting person.

You would feel: Hurt