Using Common Sense To Challenge “Always” And “Never” Thinking
                     Using Common Sense To Challenge “Always” And “Never” 
Thinking
Chaitanya Kumarix
Writes informational articles on ancient Indian 
artisan vocational education
, Niti shastra in Bharat, What is niti along with 
others articles on finance, health,philosophy, 
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People often use phrases of overgeneralization, like always and never, to 
elucidate what they sense and experience in their usual lives. Such sweeping 
statements specify a form of cognitive distortion. Even though this exercise 
may seem to be uncompromising in the moment, these thoughts are far from 
being truthful and can lead to austerity, pessimism, and even self-sabotage. 
It construes some out-of-the-way experiences into widespread and perpetual 
actualities. To avoid this, one should use everyday common sense with 
rational observation. By doing this, you can challenge such distortions and 
see life and reality with greater clarity.
 
Why “always” and “never” are red flags
Words like always and never are almost never true in real life. Human lives 
and experiences are infinitely varied and situational, not absolute. You may 
believe that you never succeed at anything, but if you pause and reflect on 
your stance, you will see that there are many instances where you did 
succeed, however small they may be.
Overgeneralizations take a single negative instance and then stretch it 
across time and situations. This actually creates a rather distorted lens 
through which we tend to judge ourselves and others. It feeds cycles of 
frustration and low self-esteem that destroy our true potential. Recognizing 
such a pattern in us is therefore important, as it is the first step toward 
breaking it.
 
The role of rational observation
Rational observation is all about stepping back and asking yourself whether 
your overgeneralization stance is really true or not. By collecting evidence 
about your past instances of success, you can really test whether such black 
and white thinking actually holds up or not.
 
For instance, you can envisage yourself discerning that your boss always 
criticizes you. But if you think rationally, you can review all your past 
interactions to see if there were any praise, encouragement, or neutrality 
from your boss. 
Chances are, the criticism from your boss wasn’t constant, but it contained 
occasional praises and recognitions for your effort. The criticisms were 
perhaps tied to only specific behaviors and not to your whole identity. This 
simple shift of looking for evidence disrupts the power that overgeneralization 
has on your thinking. Such an approach prioritizes facts over emotions.
Common sense as a reality check
While rational observation is methodical, common sense offers a more 
intuitive approach. Often, it involves asking questions like “Does this thought 
or idea sound reasonable?” or “Should I say this to someone in the same 
situation?”
 
Common sense allows us to realize that human behavior, relationships, and 
circumstances are rarely absolute. If someone says that he will never find 
happiness, our natural response would be to remind him of possibilities, 
exceptions, and change. By applying that same common sense towards our 
own experiences, we can set ourselves free from rigid self-talk.
 
Breaking the cycle of negativity
Challenging such “always” and “never” thinking doesn’t mean that you have 
to ignore difficulties, but you must see them in the right context and 
proportion. Instead of just saying or believing that you will always fail, you 
should believe in the idea that even if you fail at times, you can always 
improve. Instead of thinking that people never heed you, consider that 
sometimes you may feel ignored, but there are instances when people do 
care about what you have to say. Such a reframing opens the gate to 
problem-solving and flexibility. They help you turn your impediments into 
learning prospects instead of permanent judgments on your nature.
 
Overgeneralization narrows our perspective and traps us in cycles of 
negativity. By practicing rational observation and applying common sense, 
you can identify the flaws in black-and-white thinking and shift your focus 
toward improving your circumstances.
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