Stinkin' Thinkin' Thursday: Magnifying

Magnifying is a type of thinking that takes away from your confidence and self-esteem.  When you magnify, you intensify a problem out of proportion to its actual importance.  Minor suggestions become harsh criticism.  Slight headaches become a brain tumor.  A sore tooth becomes my teeth are falling out.  Minor setbacks become cause for despair.  A great way to catch yourself magnifying is to pay attention for words like "huge," "impossible," and "overwhelming."  The most common phrase is "I can't stand it."   Magnifying issues is bad enough, but the reason it takes away from your confidence is because magnifying is typically paired with minimizing.  You minimize your ability to deal with the problems you are facing. 

The best way to help yourself correct this type of thinking is to remind yourself of the times you have overcome problems and focus on your ability to handle most problems you come across.  Attempting to focus on the solution instead of the problem is key!  Also, not allowing your emotions to get the best of you.  Try asking yourself, "If I had to rate my emotion on a scale of 0 - 100, what would I rate how I feel?  Is this an appropriate level of intensity for this type of situation?  If I experienced this on a different day in different circumstances, would it be different?"

Happy thinking!