5 . You want to use a survey method : This simply means that you get the opinions of others to help rationalize whether your thoughts and attitudes are realistic . Sometimes all we need to hear is the opinion of others to realize that we are putting too much pressure on ourselves or we are looking at things incorrectly . 6 . Re-attribution : A lot of the time , we put the entire blame on ourselves . You want to identify external factors and other individuals that may have contributed to the problem . We must always remember that the only person that we can really control is ourselves . We also must remember that we cannot control everything that goes on around us . So to put that much pressure on ourselves where we constantly take on all the blame in something that is happening will only set yourself up for unneeded stress … and we all know what stress causes ! 7 . Cost-Benefit Analysis : We must look at the advantages and disadvantages of feelings , thoughts , or behaviors . The use of a cost-benefit analysis helps us understand what we are actually gaining feeling bad , distorted thinking , and inappropriate behavior . What is the cost of feeling or thinking the way we do versus the benefit of it ? Is it costing us something ( negative stress , loss of sleep , mental anguish ) or is it benefiting us ( self-gratification , peace of mind , contentment )?
The idea is for you to change how you think . From what you see with the above information on cognitive distortions , the brain can have a lot of control on how we act or on the choices we make in life . We all must be aware of “ self ”. Words such as self-awareness , self-confidence , self-control , self-determination , self-esteem , and self-motivation , just to name a few , are ways to shape mindfulness and help guide our thoughts . We must know ourselves in order to truly understand how to deal with the blocks that cognitive distortions cause us . We must know ourselves in order to be able get through the above steps as it pertains to getting past cognitive distortions . We must recognize when we are actually having cognitive distortions or stuck in a mind trap . I say mind trap , because that is what a cognitive distortion is … a way our minds are suddenly trapped to believe or see things in a negative light or to create situations in our minds that are not necessarily true . We must learn to THINK POSITIVE … our mental health depends upon it !
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