5 Cognitive Biases That Distort Your Rational Thinking
My first Thanksgiving in Canada was at Joey’s house. I candidly blurted out, “Why is the Apple pie always too sweet?” It was a joke, but the table went quiet. Joey’s mom looked surprised. My brain started racing, “Why did I say that? She made that pie!” For a week, every night, I’d toss and turn, replaying that moment. My mind was like a non-stop movie. “Everyone thinks I’m rude.” I’d imagine everyone whispering, “He’s so ungrateful.” The worst was thinking Joey would never speak to me again. My stomach felt like I swallowed a bag of rocks. This tiny comment felt like a huge monster in my head. It stopped me from enjoying fun things all week because I was too busy worrying. Finally, I mustered the courage to call Joey to talk to her mom and apologize. I said, “I’m sorry about my comment.” She laughed, “Oh, that? I forgot about it the next minute! But I’ll use less sugar next time.”The more you think about something, the more you find reasons to worry or doubt yourself. The more you worry or doubt yourself, the more you think about something. This cycle traps you in constant anxiety and distress. I distorted my perception of reality by questioning everyone’s behavior.
0 Comments