Lauren Rangel

PRW 1101-L04

February 16, 2020

Dr. Gober

Examination of the Self

Have you ever tried to figure out if you were a “glass half empty or a glass half full” type

of person? If you are a “glass half empty” type of person, then you probably practice cognitive

distortions. Cognitive distortions, or stinkin’ thinkin’, provides a minimal and a biased view of

the world. Unfortunately, cognitive distortions are negative thoughts or emotions that are

typically irrational and exaggerated. For instance, according to the worksheet “Wellness

Continuum,” stinkin’ thinkin’ is a trap that leads to a life of malaise, or a low level of wellness.

The further away from a vital or meaningful life, the more people practice cognitive distortions.

That said, cognitive distortions are a negative viewpoint of life that underlies the basis of all

thinking and actions.

In my experience, I practice cognitive distortions by having a negative mental filter. The

worksheet titled “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” defines a negative mental filter as an instance in which a

person will “dwell mostly on the negative and generally ignore the positives.” For example, on

Thursday, I was having a bad day because I was thinking negatively. All I could think about was

that I had to wait in a long line at Walmart to buy one item, I sat in traffic on the way home, my

homework was stressing me out, and that someone rear-ended my car. By the end of the day, I

was grumpy and short-tempered with my family. In the end, cognitive distortions can make the

world seem more detrimental and can cause us to make bad decisions.
 Instead of focusing on the negative, I should have practiced reframing the situation. As

suggested in the “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” worksheet, reframing a situation is an alternative to “self-

talk.” It forces us to talk to ourselves the way we would speak to a friend who was in a similar

case. For instance, in the Saturday Night Live skit called “Daily Affirmations with Stuart

Smalley,” Smalley looks at a mirror to remind himself that he is a great host, and everyone likes

him. Although the skit seems cheesy, Smalley can reframe his negative thoughts about himself

and create positive ones. If I were to reframe the situation like Smalley, I would tell myself that

everything would be okay and that my negative thoughts do not define me or my day. That said,

to fix cognitive distortions, it’s essential to reframe the situation.

Also, gratitude can help solve cognitive distortions. In the Ted Talk video shown in class,

the speaker notes that practicing gratitude can rewire the human brain to focus on the positive.

For instance, if I appreciated the item I bought at Walmart, given thanks for a home, reminded

myself of how thankful I was to be a student at SMU, and appreciated my safety after the wreck,

I could have had a much better day. Instead of being grumpy by the time dinner rolled around, I

would have been happy. Without a doubt, gratitude has the power to turn a negative thought into

a positive one.

In conclusion, cognitive distortions are something that I struggle with. Naturally, my

brain likes to think about the negative things first. Luckily, as suggested in the “Wellness

Continuum” graph, it’s still possible to have a healthy, vital, and meaningful life. Moving

forward, when I recognize a negative thought, I need to reframe the situation by affirming myself

and practice gratitude for what I have. Now, I can be a “glass half full” type of person.