Mindful Monday: Reframing...Maybe It Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means

 

When you hear the word "reframe" what are your initial thoughts? 

Perhaps you rolled your eyes and mumbled to yourself that you don't need another person telling you to be positive. Maybe it's been thrown around one too many times over the last 9 months, that it's just another buzzword to you. If that is how you see it, then I would argue that perhaps it's time to reframe how you see the word reframe - pun intended. 

If your definition of "reframe" is just positive thinking or maybe you just think that it's unrealistic, naive and pollyanna, then it's time to adjust your definition. 

Flip Flippen, founder of CKH, has the best definition that I've run across of what "reframing" really means. He states that to reframe is to change your perspective and look at each situation with a grateful heart. It's not about ignoring the bad, it's not about acting like the negative doesn't exist, but it is about taking control of your narrative and of your thoughts. It is about choosing to find the good.  

When the alarm goes off Monday morning, instead of, "Ugh, I have to get up and go to work." Try, "I get to go to work today. I'm thankful to have a job that I love that provides food and shelter for my family." Instead of, "The laundry pile is never ending." Try thinking, "How fortunate am I to be able to afford a wardrobe that I like." 

I can't stress enough that the idea of reframing is not to be some "pie in the sky" person. It boils down to, you get more of what you pay attention to. This is both true in your classroom and in life. If you're looking for the negative, you'll find it. If you're looking for the positive, you'll find that, as well. 

If you haven't started using your gratitude journal that was given to you at the start of the school year, there is no time like the present. The act of finding at least three things each day that you are grateful for is literally perspective changing. No, really! No matter how small, the mere act of expressing gratitude and focusing on what you are grateful for changes your thinking on a variety of levels. 

At the end of the day, while we don't have control over everything in life, we absolutely have control over how we choose to see things. It is my sincere hope that you choose to find the joy each day and see the good.