Weekly ideas to stimulate reflection, inspire new possibilities and encourage new ways of doing and being.
1. Test the water
This week’s word is: Reframing
Reframing means seeing something in a new way, in a new context, with a new frame around it.
What is your definition of reframing and how do you relate to it? Discuss the question here.
2. Experience the initial wave
To broaden your perspective, take few minutes to read the following thoughts and notice what comes up for you.
I.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes". Marcel Proust
II.
According to research, common cognitive distortions and tendencies to negative thinking include: 1. All-or-nothing thinking, 2. Blaming, 3. Catastrophizing, 4. Ignoring or discounting the positives, 5. Filtering experiences and focusing only on the negatives, 6. ‘Should’ statements.
III.
Usual Frame: I worry something will go wrong. Reframe: I’m curious what will happen.
Usual Frame: Another problem! Why me??? Reframe: Ooh, a new puzzle to solve.
Usual Frame: You need to stop thinking negative thoughts. Reframe: You can’t subtract negative thoughts. But you can crowd them out.
Usual Frame: You are the center of your universe and the highest priority. Reframe: Viewed from space, everything looks small, including your problems
3. Dive deep
To deepen your awareness and spark new discoveries, this week I invite you to pay attention to when a negative thought arises in your mind. The thought could be about a situation, about yourself, about other people. Identifying these thoughts is the first step in changing them.
Once you have recognized some of the thoughts, take few minutes to reflect on the following questions:
What is the specific negative thought you are experiencing?
What evidence do you have that supports or contradicts this thought?
How does holding onto this thought make you feel, act or behave?
4. Ride your radiant wave
Thought reframing takes practice. For each negative thought you recognize this week I invite you to simply ask yourself: “What else is possible?”
Once you have brainstormed some options and possibilities, check in with yourself and notice how your thoughts and feelings have changed.
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