Cognitive Distortion #3: Creating a Catastrophe
Have you ever caught yourself saying things like—
“This is the worst thing that could happen!”
“I’ll never recover from this!”
or “I can’t handle this!”
If so, you’ve probably experienced catastrophizing — also known as Creating a Catastrophe.
It’s what happens when something small goes wrong, and instead of managing it, we turn it into a full-blown emotional crisis.
Turning Molehills into Mountains
Let’s be honest—no one teaches us to do this. We just do it.
One setback triggers memories of every past failure, disappointment, or hurt we’ve ever felt. Suddenly, we’re not just dealing with today’s problem… we’re reliving every problem.
It’s like carrying a backpack full of emotional bricks and adding another one every time something goes wrong. No wonder it feels so heavy.
But here’s the truth: you don’t have to keep carrying it.
The Way Out: Focus on the Solution, Not the Emotion
When your mind starts spiraling, it’s easy to let panic take over.
“Yes, it sucks.”
“Yes, it feels unfair.”
“Yes, you wish it never happened.”
But feelings alone won’t fix the problem.
The solution?
Shift from panic to progress.
Ask yourself:
“What can I do right now to make this better?”
When you take that first step toward a solution—no matter how small—you redirect your energy from fear to focus. You move from powerless to powerful.
Why This Works
Because every time you handle a challenge—no matter how small—you build proof. Proof that you can handle it. Proof that you’re strong. Proof that you’ve got this.
Over time, that proof builds resilience.
And with resilience comes confidence.
And with confidence, you realize—
Whatever happens next, you’ll handle it.
Because you’ve done it before, and you’ll do it again.
Final Thought
Life will always hand you storms.
But when you learn to stop creating catastrophes, you’ll start finding calm.
You’ll see that even when things go wrong, you’re still in control.
That’s Resilience.
That’s Confidence.
That’s Beautiful.
Reflection Prompt
Think of a time you made a small problem bigger than it needed to be.
What could you do differently next time to keep things in perspective?
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