Negative future orientation as a cognitive distortion is like always expecting it to rain, even when the sky is clear. People with this type of thinking always expect the worst to happen in the future, no matter what the current situation is.

Let's say you're planning a picnic. The weather is sunny, and there's no forecast of rain. But instead of looking forward to a great picnic, all you can think about is how it's going to rain and ruin everything. That's a negative future orientation.

People with this cognitive distortion tend to focus on potential problems and failures in the future, even when there's no evidence to support these negative predictions. They might worry excessively about future events, making them anxious and stressed.

This is like walking around with a dark cloud over your head, even on a sunny day. It can prevent you from enjoying the present moment and make it harder for you to take positive actions for the future. It's important to remember that just because you think something bad will happen, doesn't mean it will. Sometimes, the sun shines brightly, and the picnic goes just as planned.