Irrational cognitions are just a fancy way for saying irrational thoughts, or un-productive thoughts so to speak. These are the thoughts you may not even know you are having that have the potential power to shape your day to day lives and even your emotions. Sad news is….we ALL have them! Yes, even the ones who are being trained to be Psychologist, but the greatest part is the more aware you are of them…..the better chance you have of CHANGING THEM! You…yes YOU have the power to change your mind haha who would have thought right? No longer can you blame that crazy aunt or sibling for your problems, because after this post you will hopefully realize that you thoughts and your emotions are no one else but your own. Challenge your normal reality and usual way of thinking if it is getting you no where or leading to hurt/pain.
Maybe a few of these examples will sound familiar if you’re honest with yourself…..I will state an irrational/unhelpful thought and follow it by a rational/helpful way of thinking…
- The idea that we should be thoroughly competent, intelligent, and achieving in all possible respects………………………/instead of the idea that we would prefer to do well rather than always need to do well, and accept ourself as a quite imperfect creature, who has general human limitations and specific fallibilities.
- The idea that because something once strongly affected our life, it should indefinitely affect it…………………../instead of the idea that we can learn from our past experiences but not be overly-attached to or prejudiced by them.
- The idea that we must have certain and perfect control over things……………………………./instead of the idea that the world is full of improbability and change that we can still enjoy life despite this.
- The idea that we have virtually no control over our emotions and that we cannot help feeling disturbed about things…………………………………./instead of the idea that we have real control over our destructive emotions -if we choose to work at changing the stories we tell ourselves to create them.
ALLOW yourself to be human. Do not have an all or nothing mentality about life.
Here’s a challenge……..when you are feeling down….or defeated….or just not so great. THINK about what your irrational thoughts might be. Words such as….”always”….”never”….”have to”….”should”…”must” are usually attached to such unproductive thoughts.
“My (husband/wife/friend/boss) never………………” I HAVE to…………….. I never…they never…………………….I should…………..they should”
STOP “Shoulding” on yourself (hahah get it?)
What unhealthy rules do you give yourself or even put on others?
START CHALLENGING THEM!
I will never loose weight because no matter how hard I work I always slip up on my diet and my genetics are against me……….(can I get an AMEN because I think this one more than I want to admit!)………..wellllllllllllllllllllll you can loose weight and just because you slip up once doesn’t mean you need to just fall off the wagon, right? Your genetics or childhood may have been different than what you would desire for yourself, but it is what it is…..what good can come of it? …find it and DO IT! You can literally change the mapping of your brain and rewire it to different thought patterns which can lead to different attached emotions. It’s hard work, but it’s possible. YOU have the tools to change your own life…and no I am not talking about the certain unforeseen circumstances or different life events because most things like that are out of our control, but I am telling you that you have the power to shape how you react to things and which emotions surface. Irrational thoughts are a GREAT way to start the process towards more productive way of thinking and it will help prevent you from a lot of unnecessary hurt or hurting others.
Hurt people are the only ones who hurt other people…..Did someone hurt you?……..What hurt them in order for them to react that way? STOP AND THINK!…and then rethink!
Irrational Cognitions or Unproductive thoughts are just that…..UNPRODUCTIVE!
Want a better relationship….be a better parent….a better work environment…..marriage……body……the list can go on and on. Well now you have one more tool to help you create that!
THE BEGINNING TO ANY ACTION IS A THOUGHT