# Should statements Created On: 03-17-2025 09:43 pm Up:: [[Cognitive distortions]] Tags:: #note/evergreen🌲 #thoughtful Topics:: Related:: --- We need to be cautious using the phrases “should", “ought to” when speaking to ourselves: > I *ought to* do this thing It’s guilt-based and, fundamentally, negative-oriented thinking. You’re setting yourself to feel guilted into doing something, even if the instigator of that guilt is yourself. You’ll set unrealistically, unmeaningfully high expectations on yourself, only to, at some point, fail… Failing will produce guilt and that produces more needless expectations, which will then continue to spiral into more guilt, ultimately producing a numb idleness die to completely constrained thinking.