In simple terms, someone with a growth mindset believes that people can change they can improve their skills and their attitudes in order to make positive changes in the world around them. (Shortform note: According to Dweck, the opposite of a fixed mindset is a growth mindset. Conversely, when something bad happens, they see it as a temporary setback due to external causes-they’ll say something like, “Things didn’t work out this time.” When something good happens, they think it’s because of their own abilities, or simply because good things always happen to them. Optimists are the opposite: They tend to generalize and personalize positive events. As a result, they don’t think there’s any way to improve their lives-nature, or fate, or some other higher power has put them into a certain situation, and there’s nothing they can do about it.) (Shortform note: Pessimists tend to have what psychologist Carol Dweck describes in Mindset as a fixed mindset: They believe that people’s attitudes and abilities are set at birth and can’t be changed. Conversely, when something good happens, they assume that it’s just a stroke of luck: temporary and due to external factors. In other words, they think that bad things “always” happen, and that it’s because there’s something wrong with them. Seligman says that pessimists tend to generalize and personalize negative events. Pessimism Versus Optimismīroadly speaking, we can group all thought patterns into optimism and pessimism. Because it’s a more proactive approach, most psychologists prefer CBT to CT, so most of the information that’s readily available is specifically about CBT. Some studies have shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is more effective than medication at treating depression, though others say that a combination of both is the best treatment. After identifying those unhealthy ways of thinking, the patient and the therapist can work together to adjust them.Ĭognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the same principles as CT, but also helps patients to develop healthy new behaviors. So-with the help of a therapist or psychologist-the patient examines his or her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to look for faulty and unhelpful habits. CT is a type of treatment plan for mental disorders it’s based on the idea that psychological problems are rooted, at least partially, in harmful and uncontrolled thought patterns. Seligman proposes Cognitive Therapy (CT) as a way to change your thought patterns. By becoming aware of our thought patterns, applying consistent effort, and undergoing cognitive therapy, we can change the way we think. However, we’re not stuck with whatever way of thinking we learned as children. We shape our thought patterns based on our time in school, our interactions with our parents, and our general life experiences. (Seligman calls these thought patterns “explanatory styles.”) Therefore, we can unlearn pessimism and learn optimism by working on changing our thought patterns. Seligman says that learned helplessness (or pessimism) and learned optimism come from our thought patterns: how we explain events to ourselves and how we view ourselves in relation to the world. Now, let’s get more specific about how pessimists think, so we can contrast this pessimistic mindset with the optimistic, empowered mindset Seligman advocates. So far, we’ve explained that modern culture’s obsession with the self has led to widespread feelings of pessimism and depression. In short, whether you do as Seligman says and actually send the letters, or just write them for your own benefit, this is an effective way to improve your mood and stop dwelling on your pessimistic thoughts.) Your Mindset Comes From How You Explain Things to Yourself Also, writing a resentful letter is simply an effective way to vent to get the feelings out so that you can move past them. Writing a letter forces you to organize and express your thoughts in a coherent way, which helps you to understand and come to terms with what you’re actually feeling. (Shortform note: Interestingly, writing letters- even letters you never plan to send-is an established technique in psychology to help you recognize and confront strong feelings. By doing so, you’ll make your voice heard and help push the changes you want to see in your community. Additionally, write letters to local politicians and other community leaders who are in a position to make positive changes. Write to people whom you’re especially impressed by or unhappy with.
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