Negative, unhealthy, and intrusive thoughts are usually automatic, but they don’t have to take control of your daily life. With some tips, you can learn to tolerate that inner critic.
Can Judging Be a Good Thing? Identifying What Are and Are Not Helpful Judgments
The idea of a “judgment” is a loaded concept. The word judgment can bring to mind the memory of feeling insulted by someone else, assumptions you find yourself making, or a wise-minded choice that made a large desirable impact in your life. However, what is a judgment really? There are many different meanings to the word judgment, depending on what arena in which it is being used. A legal judgment is determined in a court, a religious judgment is usually linked with an almighty figure, but a psychological judgment is the kind of judgment we make every day, that have great effects on our lives and our experiences.
Physical Distancing vs. Social Distancing: Remain Socially Connected While Physically Apart
Social distancing has become crucial in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. However, this can feel lonely and isolating, especially if you typically are on your own whether in your work life or personal life. For many, connecting via social media has become the new norm. Whether being on your own is something you are used to or not, the differences at present are valid and can take a toll on anyone.
A Positive Psychology Approach to Managing Anxiety in Uncertain Times
Martin Seligman, one of the founding fathers of Positive Psychology, recommends the “Put It In Perspective” exercise to help refocus the brain and reduce anxiety. This practice focuses first on deciding the worst-case scenario, which our brains typically tend to do first, moves to the best-case scenario, and then settles on the most likely scenario. In this way, thoughts move from those that are irrational to those that are rational.
Quick Tips To Managing Obsessive Thoughts
Unwanted Thoughts
Unwanted thoughts are those intrusive thoughts that cause high levels of distress. They seemingly come from nowhere, stick with us, and can cause a significant amount of anxiety. Unwanted intrusive thoughts generally consist of repetitive thoughts about relationships, decisions, sexual identity, safety, religion, death, or worries about questions that have no certain answer. When these thoughts are graphic or contain “inappropriate” themes, people can feel embarrassed or ashamed by them, which can cause people to not talk about what is happening.
How to Stop Jumping to Conclusions
When we jump to conclusions, we tend to draw negative conclusions without evidence. This usually happens in two ways: mind reading and fortune telling. Mind reading is when someone assumes that others have negative intentions. Fortune telling is when someone is predicting a negative future outcome before the event has occurred. Here are five ways that can help to stop you from jumping to conclusions.