Are you Ruled by Magnification and Minimization?

Magnification and minimization are a part of automatic thinking. We all have automatic defaults. We all automatically magnify certain aspects of ourselves while minimizing aspects of others and vice versa. For those who are ruled by magnification and minimization, their default is to deflect and chose the magnification and minimization pattern that leaves them the least responsible for negative outcomes and more responsible when the outcomes are positive. The reverse is also true that some people magnify their negative aspects and minimize others: taking too much responsibility for negative outcomes and not enough when things are positive.

For those who struggle to have an appropriate automatic response, it reflects issues with self-esteem. Both patterns of magnification and minimization reflect issues with self-esteem. Identifying if you have issues with magnification and minimization requires honesty with self. Do you take responsibility for your actions and choices? No matter how a person treats us, we are able to choose how to react. If someone was rude and you decided to be rude back, can you see that your reaction was equally as negative as their actions? This is a truth that many of my clients struggle with. I will admit that I, too, had difficulty with the concept of radical self-acceptance and how that required me to own each of my actions and admit how negativity does not justify negativity if my goal is to be a positive person.

If you can own when your behavior is negative without shifting responsibility, you will be able to reduce the negative impact of automatic thinking as well as magnification and minimization. Keeping ownership and perspective of your behaviors is empowering. When you have ownership of your responses and reactions, you will have more control over your lived experiences. Being your most empowered self will pave the way for you to have a positive self-concept. When we feel good about ourselves, we spend less time reacting to others and more time focusing on our goals and living a life steeped in positivity. Acting not reacting is one of the comer stones of having more good days than bad because it takes a high level of self-control and positive self-concept to achieve.