Are there annoying things sweeping through your mind that keep you from calming down? Are you the kind of person who puts yourself down? Do you always think about the unpleasant things in life? Are you pessimistic? If one of these questions is yes? Then thinking is the right approach for you. How do thoughts control emotions? Is it your family that controls your emotions? Is it your boss? Is it what is happening in the external environment? The truth is that it is your thoughts about these people and events that are making you mentally ill. Let’s take an example, you get a call from your boss to come to the office, you may have several reactions. One scenario is that you start thinking, “Oh no, I’m sure I’m going to get criticized by my boss, – what should I say, this time it’s over.” At this point you will certainly be nervous, and if you still think this way when you walk to the boss’s door, you will panic. If you think like this, “He may have something for me to do, he may ask me to make some adjustments, and if I do it seriously, the problem will surely be solved.” If you go to the boss with this thought, you will certainly feel much better. In our daily life, as long as we are clear-headed and in a relatively free time, automatic thinking happens. Automatic thinking is the “stream of thought” that comes to our mind like a current. Emotional fluctuations often indicate that automatic thinking is evident. If you are feeling good, you don’t necessarily need to stop and reflect on automatic thinking; if you are feeling upset, sad, or nervous, you should stop and ask yourself: what am I thinking, what was I thinking? We all have some thinking misconceptions, and they are a little more pronounced when we are depressed. Some common thinking misconceptions include ignoring facts, jumping to conclusions, double standards, and labeling. A depressed new teacher who feels she is simply not cut out to be a teacher ignores the fact that she graduated from college with a degree in English, teaches elementary school students, and that she performed well in her previous college internship. When depressed, a person may feel that other people’s successes are the result of smart efforts, while his or her previous accomplishments were simply the result of good luck. Others may say to themselves when they fail, “I was born a loser; I can’t do anything right. Here are some ways to challenge negative thoughts: Consider the possibilities and ask yourself if you have any other ideas. Think like you used to, remembering what you used to think when you were happy and pleased with yourself. Check the facts and think about what you used to do successfully in those areas.