All-or-Nothing Thinking

All-or-nothing thinking is when you see things in black and white, with no shades of gray. It’s a thinking trap that can be limiting and unhelpful. For example, if you didn’t do well on one assignment, you might think, “I’m a failure at this subject.” This type of thinking can be discouraging, cause you to give up, and prevent you from trying that thing ever again.

To overcome all-or-nothing thinking, try to reframe your thoughts. Instead of thinking in extremes, try to focus on the middle ground. For example, instead of thinking “I’m a failure,” try thinking “I didn’t do well on this one assignment, but I can learn from my mistakes and do better next time.” Just because something goes wrong for you one time, doesn’t mean it’s going to go wrong for you every time.

Overgeneralization

Overgeneralization is when you take one negative experience and apply it to all aspects of your life. For example, if you had a bad day at work, you might think, “My job is terrible, and I’m never going to enjoy it.” This type of thinking can be harmful and lead to feelings of hopelessness. The same could go for dating experiences or even food. You may date one type of person and that relationship goes sour so you refuse to date anyone like that person ever again. For food, you may try Indian food and not like it the first time. That doesn’t mean all Indian food is terrible, it may just mean that the food you had wasn’t very good or maybe you tried the wrong thing.

To overcome overgeneralization, try to focus on the specific situation. Ask yourself if this negative experience is really representative of your entire life. Chances are, it’s not. Try to reframe your thoughts and focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Mental Filter

Mental filter is when you focus on the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positive ones. For example, if you got a good grade on a test, but you missed one question, you might focus on the question you missed and ignore the fact that you did well overall.

To overcome mental filters, try to focus on the positive aspects of a situation. Make a list of everything that went well and try to shift your focus to those things. Think of it like a water filter. It starts blinking and chiming at you when it’s in need of a change, maybe if you’re stuck in this negative thinking hamster wheel, it may be time to change your filter.

Disqualifying the Positive

Disqualifying the positive is when you discount positive experiences or accomplishments, thinking that they don’t really matter. For example, if someone compliments you on your work, you might think, “They’re just being nice. My work isn’t really that good.” Or if you compliment a friend and they always have a negative comeback. You say things like, “Wow, that dress looks amazing on you,” but then they say things like, “Really, I look like I gained 20 pounds.”

To overcome disqualifying the positive, try to accept compliments and acknowledge your accomplishments. Recognize that your work is valuable and that you deserve credit for your achievements, even the SMALL ones.

Jumping to Conclusions

Jumping to conclusions is when you make assumptions about a situation without all the facts. For example, if your friend didn’t text you back right away, you might think, “They must be mad at me,” without considering other possibilities.

To overcome jumping to conclusions, try to gather all the facts before making assumptions. Ask yourself if there are other explanations for the situation. Try to communicate with the other person to get a better understanding of what’s going on. Knowledge is POWER, don’t let your mind wander.

Magnification and Minimizing

Magnification and minimizing is when you either exaggerate the importance of a situation or downplay its significance. For example, if you made a mistake at work, you might think, “This is the end of my career,” which is an exaggeration. On the other hand, you might think, “It’s no big deal,” which is downplaying the situation.

To overcome magnification and minimizing, try to be realistic about the situation. Ask yourself if your thoughts are based on facts or emotions. Try to find a middle ground and focus on taking positive steps forward. Also, when navigating your relationships and a friend is either magnifying or minimizing their situation, approach it with empathy and have a discussion about it versus, downplaying or exaggerating their feelings.

Emotional Reasoning

Emotional reasoning is when you base your thoughts and actions on your emotions, rather than on facts or logic. For example, if you feel anxious about a situation, you might think, “I can’t do this,” even if you have the skills and resources to succeed.

To overcome emotional reasoning, try to separate your emotions from the facts of the situation. Ask yourself if your thoughts are based on evidence or on your feelings. Try to focus on the facts and take action based on what you know is true. Don’t let your emotions overrun the facts of the situation.

Thinking traps can be challenging, but with practice, you can learn to overcome them. By reframing your thoughts and focusing on the positive aspects of a situation, you can take control of your mindset and push past negative thinking. Remember, it’s okay to struggle with these patterns – what’s important is that you keep working to overcome them. Focusing on creating a positive mindset is difficult. It takes time, patience, and constant effort to check yourself and reframe your thoughts. So, don’t expect to go from negative Nancy to positive Polly in 24 hours. You will fall into thinking traps occasionally and that’s okay. Just don’t let them be the end-all-be-all to the way you think. For more tips on how to PUSH past negative thinking, listen to episode 192 of the PUSH podcast out now.

Are you guilty of falling into any of these traps? Let us know in the comments below