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
