Defining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Every person experiences negative thoughts. However, not every thought is true or accurate. There are nine different types of negative thoughts. An evidence based intervention that helps to reframe these negative thoughts is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT. CBT teaches you that your thoughts, behaviors, and feelings are all interrelated. Therefore, if you reframe your thoughts to be more positive, then it will have an impact on your feelings and behaviors.
Strategies
There are effective strategies to reframe thoughts. First, it’s very important to question the thoughts that come to your mind–especially if they are negative. When you are confronted with negative thoughts, you can combat or distract your mind. By combating your thoughts, you are questioning and rationalizing through your thought process. Another effective strategy is distracting your mind by doing an activity that you enjoy (e.g., listening to music, cooking, dancing, etc.). Watch the video below learn more about these two strategies.
In order to reframe your thoughts, you need to also learn about the 3 R’s. You need to record your thoughts, then rationalize and replace them. It will take some discipline and practice to change the way you think. However, it will be worth making these changes. You will feel more confident and happier with yourself.
Positive Psychology
When you engage in positive thoughts more regularly, then you are more likely to think creatively, flexibly, and process information faster. Your brain is also able to focus for a longer period of time. Therefore, optimize your productivity and quality of life by simply changing your thoughts to be more positive. If you’d like to connect with me to continue to learn about CBT and Positive Psychology, then you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram.