Many of us have doubts about our skills, talents and success at work. These doubts often become an obstacle to self -realization, and they can be called one word - excessive generalization.
If you feel at least once as if no one would love you or "nothing will go", it is a typical example of excessive generalization.
Excessive generalization is a cognitive distortion when we believe that negative experience in one situation in the past will necessarily be repeated in others:
- We always expect the worst: "Everything will not go again, we will not handle."
- We are sure that every next attempt will end in failure: "I have failed the interview, I will never be taken to work."
- Negative self -talk: “I am not good” or “I will never be able to do it”.
You can cope with excessive generalization with the help of such simple techniques as rethinking of thoughts and focusing on specific situations. Instead of saying to myself, "I always do everything wrong, never goes, you can rethink it as follows:" Sometimes I have difficulties, but I can learn and develop. Every mistake is an opportunity to improve, not confirm my overall inability. "
Focusing on specific situations can also help. Instead of the general statements of the type “I'm a lazy person, I do not work”, you can focus on specific cases and details to understand where the difficulties and how to overcome them.
Although it is often useful to work with an excessive generalization on your own with a qualified therapist in the context of cognitive-behavioral therapy. This allows you to learn how to identify and change the tendency to excessive generalization, as well as to support positive beliefs and reduce the harmful effects of excessive generalization on life.
