After reading through all 50 distortions and learning more about them, I think I will list them starting with the most prevalent distortions.
25. Magnifying (Cognitively Exaggerating).
For example, blowing your own mistakes and flaws out of proportion and perceiving them as more significant than they are.
- I do this with every tiny mistake I make then proceed to beat myself up over it for days or even weeks.
5. Link Removed
Thinking of unpleasant events as catastrophes.
27. Overgeneralizing
1. Personalizing.
Taking something personally that may not be personal.
- In social settings, if someone doesn't speak to me I automatically think I did something wrong then, start coming up with wild explanations as to why.
3. Negative predictions.
-this holds me back from being social or going to unfamiliar places.
44. The tendency to prefer familiar things.
Familiarity breeds liking, which is part of why people are brand loyal and may pay inflated prices for familiar brands vs. switching.
- The unfamiliar scares the Hell out of me!
33. Failure to consider alternative explanations.
Coming up with one explanation for why something has happened/happens and failing to consider alternative, more likely explanations.
- I often come up with the most negative explanations possible.
29. Falling victim to the “Foot in the Door” technique.
When someone makes a small request to get a “Yes” answer, then follows up with a bigger request, people are more likely to agree to the big request than if only that request had been made.
-I recently let this happen with a relationship. I knew what he was doing but let it happen anyway. Not always though. After reading more on this, I realized I tend/tended to let this happen so much over the years and now, in many different situations, I often never noticed until the damage was done.
40. The tendency to underestimate how long tasks will take.
48. Link Removed your Link Removed based on positive behaviors you plan to do later.
- I do this with alcohol
50. "I can't change my behavior." (or "I can't change my thinking style.")
Instead of telling yourself "I can't," try asking yourself how you could shift your behavior
- I am getting better at this but still struggle.
Now to get to work on these!
25. Magnifying (Cognitively Exaggerating).
For example, blowing your own mistakes and flaws out of proportion and perceiving them as more significant than they are.
- I do this with every tiny mistake I make then proceed to beat myself up over it for days or even weeks.
5. Link Removed
Thinking of unpleasant events as catastrophes.
27. Overgeneralizing
1. Personalizing.
Taking something personally that may not be personal.
- In social settings, if someone doesn't speak to me I automatically think I did something wrong then, start coming up with wild explanations as to why.
3. Negative predictions.
-this holds me back from being social or going to unfamiliar places.
44. The tendency to prefer familiar things.
Familiarity breeds liking, which is part of why people are brand loyal and may pay inflated prices for familiar brands vs. switching.
- The unfamiliar scares the Hell out of me!
33. Failure to consider alternative explanations.
Coming up with one explanation for why something has happened/happens and failing to consider alternative, more likely explanations.
- I often come up with the most negative explanations possible.
29. Falling victim to the “Foot in the Door” technique.
When someone makes a small request to get a “Yes” answer, then follows up with a bigger request, people are more likely to agree to the big request than if only that request had been made.
-I recently let this happen with a relationship. I knew what he was doing but let it happen anyway. Not always though. After reading more on this, I realized I tend/tended to let this happen so much over the years and now, in many different situations, I often never noticed until the damage was done.
40. The tendency to underestimate how long tasks will take.
48. Link Removed your Link Removed based on positive behaviors you plan to do later.
- I do this with alcohol
50. "I can't change my behavior." (or "I can't change my thinking style.")
Instead of telling yourself "I can't," try asking yourself how you could shift your behavior
- I am getting better at this but still struggle.
Now to get to work on these!
