Author Archives: Tereasa Jones
Should Statements
This is my eighth post in the Cognitive Distortions Series. “Cognitive distortions” is another name for beliefs that hold us back and prevent us from living our best lives. The key reality for this series is that our thoughts have profound effects on our perceptions of reality. In order to improve our lives, we must first become […]
Emotional Reasoning
Emotional Reasoning is a cognitive process by which we believe that what we are feeling is true even in the absence of evidence that supports our feelings. In some cases, there may actually be evidence that disproves our feelings! To recap what we have learned so far in this series, cognitive distortions are beliefs and […]
Magnification
This is my sixth post in the Cognitive Distortions Series. “Cognitive distortions” is another name for beliefs that hold us back and prevent us from living our best lives. The key reality for this series is that our thoughts have profound effects on our perceptions of reality. In order to improve our lives, we […]
Jumping to Conclusions
This is my fifth post in the Cognitive Distortions Series. “Cognitive distortions” is another name for beliefs that hold us back and prevent us from living our best lives. The key reality for this series is that our thoughts have profound effects on our perceptions of reality. In order to improve our lives, we must […]
Discounting the Positive
It is infinitely easier to criticize than it is to appreciate people or things just as they are. As humans, we tend to find faults and disappointments in even the happiest of occasions. For example, imagine having dinner at a nice restaurant with a loved one. Even if the food is perfect, you could still […]
Mental Filter
Have you ever wondered why two people can see the world in completely different ways? One person may view the world through rose colored glasses while the other has a paranoid, pessimistic outlook on life. The truth is that we all see things in the world through our personal mental filters. In fact, it’s impossible […]
Overgeneralization
This is my second post in the Cognitive Distortions Series. “Cognitive distortions” is another name for beliefs that hold us back and prevent us from living our best lives. The key reality for this series is that our thoughts have profound effects on our perceptions of reality. In order to improve our lives, we must […]
Black and White Thinking
In case you haven’t noticed, my recent blog posts have been centered around limiting beliefs, which are sometimes called cognitive distortions. In his book “The Feeling Good Handbook” David Burns classifies our cognitive distortions into 10 categories. Over the coming weeks, my goal is to help you understand (and hopefully avoid!) each category in via […]
5 Ways to Change Your Thinking
Limiting beliefs are slippery things. In my last blog, I wrote about what limiting beliefs are and how they can affect your actions. You may even be unaware that your thoughts are holding you back from becoming who you want to be! Most of the time we don’t even know we are thinking thoughts that […]
Letting Go of Limits
Why do they even make cars that go over 85 miles per hour? Sure, the engines are powerful and the manufacturers agonize over how to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. There are probably focus groups dedicated to which colors would look good on the top-of-the-line automobile (hint: candy apple red) and how many cup holders […]