Though thoughts are the best choice of the three, they are not without flaw. Due to life experiences, relationship mishaps and overall negative events that have happened on our journey, we can create distorted ways of thinking as a result. Cognitive distortions or 'stinkin thinkin' as some may call it, is simply the label used to describe the irrational thoughts we convince ourselves to be true that ultimately reinforce inaccurate negative thoughts and beliefs.