The current series, because it is November, has focused on gratitude. We have explored together topics such as toxic positivity and its effect on survivors of complex trauma. We have discovered that gratitude, when experienced without guilt or shame, is healthy and can aid in the healing process.
This article will focus on what it means to be grateful and how we can harness its power to overcome obstacles that stand in our way.
The Destructive Power of All-or-Nothing Thinking
All-or-nothing thinking is a negative thought process that is considered a cognitive distortion and is common among those who are affected by anxiety and depression. This disordered thinking means that you think in extremes; either something is all good or all bad with no gray area. The thinking pattern causes you to view yourself and your life experiences as black or white (Reading). An example of all-or-nothing thinking might be that either you are a total success or a complete failure without allowing for any middle ground or explanation.
All-or-nothing thinking keeps you from seeing your life as it really is with all its complexity, uncertainty, and change.
People who suffer from all-or-nothing thinking often find they cannot be grateful for anything because they are plagued by their inner critic who accuses and nags at the back of their minds.
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