Today we're continuing the conversation we started last week about cognitive distortions. Today we're diving into 3 more cognitive distortions. We're talking all about how we as people jump to conclusions- and how you might be doing it more than you think!

Today we're going to learn about another cognitive distortion - and this one is divided into 2 other types that fall under the umbrella as well for a total of 3 types of "jumping to conclusions"

What are Cognitive Distortions?

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the term “cognitive” means “relating to or involving the processes of thinking and reasoning” and “distortions” means “a change to the intended or true meaning of something”. Therefore, cognitive distortions are irrational or biased thought patterns that lead to negative emotions and behavior.

Jumping to Conclusions:

"Jumping to Conclusions" means that we guess the facts of the situation without having enough information. To explain this further, I share a personal story about a time when I jumped to conclusions about home schooling my kids and how I thought I knew what my family and peers thought about my decision.

Mind Reading:

This is when you believe that you know exactly what someone else is thinking and feeling (usually something negative about yourself) even when there is no evidence to back it up and they never said anything like it.

For example, a teacher who you’re hoping to befriend might buy a coffee for a couple of fellow teachers but she didn’t bring you one. You assume that it means that she hates you and doesn’t want anything to do with you. In reality, maybe she was just bringing them for the teachers who were right next door to her, and there are many other teachers she didn’t bring one for, too.

Fortune Telling:

This is when we believe something bad is just around the corner, for no good reason. As David Burns, who is credited as one of the original researchers behind CBT and author I mentioned at the beginning of this episode, says, “It’s as if you had a crystal ball that only gives you bad news!”

This is just a preview of the 3 ways we jump to conclusions that dive into on today's episode. Check out today's episode to learn more about jumping to conclusions- you might be doing it more than you think!

Head over to the show notes: https://www.wifeteachermommy.com/podcast/jump-to-conclusions

Key points on ways that we jump to conclusions:

• What cognitive distortions are
• How and why we have a tendency to jump to conclusions
• 3 different types of jumping to conclusions
• What "fortune telling" is what it looks like
• What "mind reading" is and what looks like
• Real examples from my life where I jumped to conclusions
• What to do when we find ourselves jumping to conclusions