--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you change the way you think, you…" description: "\"When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.\" — David D. Burns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/david-d-burns-4607_change_when-you-change-the-way-you-think-you-ca_2492278.png" --- # When you change the way you think, you can change the way… ![“When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/david-d-burns-4607_change_when-you-change-the-way-you-think-you-ca_2492278.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/david-d-burns-4607_change_when-you-change-the-way-you-think-you-ca_2492278.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/david-d-burns-4607_change_when-you-change-the-way-you-think-you-ca_2492278.png) > “When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.” [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing thought patterns can transform emotional states, highlighting cognitive restructuring. **In simple terms:** Change thoughts, change feelings. Key Takeaway Practice reframing thoughts. Themes cognitive therapy emotional regulation self-awareness Mood therapeutic empowering Type psychological self-help When to use this quote - therapy sessions - stress management - personal development Key Concepts cognitive restructuring mindfulness psychology Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts limit your emotions? - How can you practice reframing daily? A Different Perspective Changing thoughts alone may not solve deep-rooted issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ## Related quotes > [“Change the way you think to change the things you get in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-brain-openers/change-the-way-you-think-to-change-the-things-you-get-in-life/) Seema Brain Openers > [You have to change the way you think to change the way you act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-have-to-change-the-way-you-think-to-change-the-way-you-act/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Change the way you think and you will change the way you feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/change-the-way-you-think-and-you-will-change-the-way-you-feel/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [“If you can't even change the way you read. How can you change the way you think..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umang-joshi/if-you-can-t-even-change-the-way-you-read-how-can-you-change-the-way/) Umang joshi > [You have to CHANGE the way you THINK in order to CHANGE the way you FEEL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/you-have-to-change-the-way-you-think-in-order-to-change-the-way-you/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [There's never been a better time to change the way you think. Replace every 'I can't' with 'How can I?' It might sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/there-s-never-been-a-better-time-to-change-the-way-you-think-replace/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [How I think is who I am How you think is who you are Change for yourself and not for others Change the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-nijjar/how-i-think-is-who-i-am-how-you-think-is-who-you-are-change-for/) [Mandy Nijjar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-nijjar/) > [If you can't change it.. change the way you think about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/if-you-can-t-change-it-change-the-way-you-think-about-it/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [If you are going to do TPS you must do it all the way. You also need to change the way you think. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/if-you-are-going-to-do-tps-you-must-do-it-all-the-way-you-also-need/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [“I have discovered that if I can change the way I think about something, I can change the way I react to it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/i-have-discovered-that-if-i-can-change-the-way-i-think-about/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“One of the most effective ways of changing the way people think is to change the way they worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/one-of-the-most-effective-ways-of-changing-the-way-people-think-is-to/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that when you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel and behave.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/cognitive-therapy-is-based-on-the-idea-that-when-you-change-the-way/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The mind has powers that allow us to go beyond our normal or habitual way of being, and beyond what we think is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/the-mind-has-powers-that-allow-us-to-go-beyond-our-normal-or-habitual/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [Most of my clients don't realize that the way they look and the way they think about their looks are two separate issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/most-of-my-clients-don-t-realize-that-the-way-they-look-and-the-way/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [The way you think you spend your time and the way you actually spend your time are rarely the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-merrill/the-way-you-think-you-spend-your-time-and-the-way-you-actually-spend/) [Douglas Merrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-merrill/) ## More by David D. Burns > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/and-most-important-nobody-could-love-or-relate-to-you-it-would-be/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/negative-thinking-patterns-can-be-immensely-deceptive-and-persuasive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/many-research-studies-as-well-as-my-own-clinical-experience-have/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/assert-your-right-to-make-a-few-mistakes-if-people-can-t-accept-your/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) [Explore all 108 David D. Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David D. 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