Dangerous Viruses of the mind

Had the opportunity to facilitate a session on “Effective Thinking” recently. Had a bash trying to identify common thinking ailments that plague all of us . With gratitude towards the enlightened and enthusiastic set of learners who gave us lot of inputs, let me present the Viruses of our Mind…

Tsunamising:(Making it Huge!!!!!!!)

You have sent your son out to the Grocery. He isn’t back after 4.5 minutes (your eyes never left the clock). You are worried. After 5 minutes you start panicking….. All the worst possible scenarios flood into your mind.

You have sent an email to a close friend who usually reciprocates promptly. Your inbox has being lying barren for two days. You convince yourself that your friend is upset with you and has sworn never to correspond with you. It’s all over…. For now and ever.

That fever that you got recently is definetely a symptom of You know what. Doctors have confirmed otherwise. Buy you know for sure!!!!!

Perfect 10 or none: (It should be Perfect or it shouldn’t be at all)

You want to pray 5 times a day. You missed one. You decide that everything is lost and skip the other ones as well.

You are on a diet and decide to stay away from sweets for dear life. But on a hapless day you have a bite of a very appealing doughnut… and gone. You decide that your diet lies in tatters and you go on to finish the whole box.

You have a small argument with your loved one and lose your cool. That’s it. You decide that the relationship is over and can never be normal again because all relationships have to be perfect.

Nostradamus: (Future telling)

You have been invited for a family get together. You are all set to go. But you see pictures of people making fun of you. That irritating aunt will definitely cold shoulder you. You will end up prodded and poked from all sides. They will all make fun of you………. You can predict the horrendous future perfectly.

You have a presentation to give tomorrow. You are sure that people will be bored. You will get stuck. People will ask questions that will stump you. Your show will be a disaster.

Color Blind (I see only what I want to see)

You decide that Mr. A is against you. You will not see or hear anything good that the person does to you or says good about you. Your antennae will pick up only the not so good things that he has to say or do.

You decide that your husband always stamps the exquisite carpets with his dirty shoes. You don’t notice the million times when he stayed away from it. You catch him red handed (or red legged) only when he is all over the carpet.
 
Tyrant (There are rules for everything…. they must be followed)

People should respond to me the way I treat them. My son should keep the books the way I want them to be kept. Neighbours shouldn’t have parties. I should always be nice and kind. Husbands shouldn’t disagree with wives in front of kids… You shouldn’t go out for dinner more than once a week……

General (Over Generalizing and all knowing- without any doubt)

Nobody loves me…. All Americans are like this. All children are thankless. Are XX nationalities are like that. I can never do presentations right. I always mess up things. I am hopeless……

Mind Reader (I know why they behave this way)

Mr. X didn’t say hi because he is too proud. Ms. B is not talking to me because Ms. C would have gossiped about me. Mr. H is not helping because he feels threatened. My son doesn’t learn because he is lazy. My wife doesn’t appreciate because she is thankless. Because they have a very poor background, they behave that way………

No Thanks (I am not good)

Someone compliments your looks and you feel-“They are saying that to please me. I am really up to no good”. Someone appreciates a dish that you made and you feel- “The dish is horrible. They are saying that to boost my self esteem”

If you regularly suffer from any of these ailments…. Return to this blog soon. We may have an antidote!!!!!