Through a (distorted) looking glass

I sometimes believe I am just a bundle of feelings attached by thoughts, or perhaps a bundle of thoughts attached by feelings.

Either way there are lots of both and I am often not sure which ones are more valid.

It does make a difference and yet, in some ways it doesn't.

I can't avoid having the feelings.  Trying to do that only makes them burrow in deeper where they multiply and grow in dark sometimes sinister ways. I can't let them rule the roost either, because not all feelings are valid.

But thoughts without feelings can be invalid too.

I've been reading about cognitive behavioral therapy where I try to minimize distorted thinking by looking at a list of common cognitive distortions.

This seems like a reasonable way to bring these two parts of me together. If you type Checklist of common cognitive distortions into your computer you can try this out for yourself.  The list is followed by some suggestions for using it. Simple and more effective than you might think.

The idea is that after a while this kind of thinking becomes more natural than the distorted thinking.

Think of buying a fun house full of crazy mirrors and, over a period of time, replacing each one with a simple framed one with no distortions.