Thinking processes are often perceived as one of the most ordinary acts of our day so familiar, in fact, that we assume we know them well. Yet, is thinking simply the act of noticing the stream of thoughts passing through our minds? According to psychological science, thinking is not just awareness but a conscious, purposeful, and selective process. However, we frequently confuse genuine thinking with mental automaticity.
We can liken our mind to a pair of glasses. If the lenses are dirty, the outside world may appear more threatening and exhausting than it actually is. In this analogy, critical thinking skills function like a cleaning cloth. The moment we stop accepting what is presented to us and begin asking questions like “What am I really seeing?” or “Why am I seeing it this way?”, we start the process of wiping those lenses clean. This is where our journey toward authentic thought processes begins.
Automatic Thoughts: Fast but Flawed
Aaron Beck, one of the pioneers of cognitive theory, proposed that individuals respond emotionally not to events themselves but to their interpretation of events. Most of our daily thoughts are automatic, rapid, and near the unconscious level. For example, statements like “I’m just not good enough” following a mistake, or “If they didn’t call, they don’t care about me” in a relationship context, are automatic thoughts. These are not the result of active thinking but rather the repetition of mental patterns we’ve previously learned.
This is precisely where cognitive distortions come into play. Our mind, shaped by past experiences and beliefs, often processes information in ways that deviate from objective reality. Thinking in absolutes, filtering out positives, labeling, catastrophizing thoughts, and personalizing are just a few examples of mental traps that distort our thoughts and in turn, create emotionally overwhelming inner realities.
Beneath the Surface of the Mindful Awareness
Reaching more authentic thoughts starts, as many might expect, with awareness. Mindfulness-based approaches teach us how to observe our thoughts without immediately internalizing or suppressing them. To create psychological space, we must sometimes ask ourselves uncomfortable yet illuminating questions like:
- What thought is passing through my mind right now?
- Is this thought truly mine, or has it simply arrived uninvited?
- Why am I holding onto this thought?
These questions may seem simple, but directing them inward can lead to profound inner confrontation. In a sense, they act as mirrors of the mind, helping us detach from our thoughts and observe them from a more objective, distant perspective. This cognitive distance allows us to step out of autopilot and gain a more neutral lens through which to evaluate whether our thoughts are transient, changeable, or worth questioning at all.
Critical Thinking Skills: Drawing a Mental Map
True thinking is less about what we think and more about how we think. Critical thinking techniques are the refined version of thought itself the ability to question our own beliefs, seek evidence, identify assumptions, and consider alternatives. It’s not just thinking, but thinking about thinking.
This ability fosters emotional flexibility. As we begin to deconstruct our cognitive patterns, our emotional responses change as well. That’s because thoughts and emotions are tightly interconnected. For instance, someone who suppresses anger may rationalize it as “I’m not angry, just sad,” thereby altering their genuine emotion through thought. Similarly, an existential worry such as “Does my life have meaning?” may provoke anxiety triggers. In essence, your thoughts can suppress or trigger emotional states just as intense emotions like fear or anxiety can reshape your thought patterns. Replacing fear with curiosity, or anger with compassion, depends largely on the perspective through which you view your inner world.
Thinking Challenges: Can Be Uncomfortable and That’s Okay
When you begin to engage in the kind of reflective thinking strategies explored in this article, you may find yourself confronting parts of you that you once assumed were unquestionably “you.” Some of these may stem from childhood influences, societal roles, internalized fears and anxieties, or deeply held beliefs. Tracing each thought back to its origin helps you recognize these fragmented pieces.
Thinking requires more than just logical deduction it also demands observing into mental mirrors. These reflections are not always pleasant. They may expose your brokenness, suppressed truths, or long-avoided patterns. Facing such mirrors can be uncomfortable, because familiar mental habits whether “positive” or “negative” tend to wrap us in a deceptive sense of safety. And emotional safety is a core emotional need for every human being.
Thus, it’s much easier to say, “This is just how I think.” But asking instead, “Does this thought still serve me?” opens the door to personal transformation.
Becoming Aware of Your Mental Landscape
Becoming aware of what’s happening in your mind and placing some distance between yourself and your automatic thoughts requires both self-honesty and inner trust. This is why thinking, at its core, is not about immediate change it’s about being willing to truly notice yourself.
One Last Reflection on Cognitive Clarity
Rather than trying to change your emotions, begin by understanding the thoughts that shape emotions. Doing so allows you to distinguish your own inner voice from the noisy background of your mental landscape one step closer to seeing clearly through the lens of your mind.