In this section you learned more about how most situations have more than one way of interpretation, depending on the lens you’re wearing. You also learned about common thinking traps and how they may intensify or prolong your emotional experience.
Your homework is to be a thought and cognitive trap hunter. You’ll be on the lookout for what you’re thinking when you thinking it, particularly when you’re experiencing a strong emotion or about to go into a situation that you’re fearing. You’ll also be on the lookout for cognitive traps that are lurking in your thoughts. Just the act of recognizing that you’ve fallen into one, gives you an opportunity to pause and see what other information you might have missed or other interpretations you might make.
Similar to the emotion tracking exercise, it’s important to practice this on a daily basis. Try to complete the Identifying Thinking Traps Form daily on at least 1 thought.