Positive Education

Cognitive Reframing

Do you find there are times when you are contemplating life, that you start to go down a certain train of thought that can lead to a sad conclusion or putting it simply having negative thoughts? 

As we travel through the journey of life we are given ideas on how to think or make assumptions on how things work or should look. Without these thoughts we would have to tackle every problem as a whole new situation, not having any ideas on how to problem solve.

The problem with this plan is that at times we don’t necessarily come up with the best solution to our concerns, if we don’t have the right problem solving techniques, how could we possibly be confident that we are making the right decisions for our concern. 

Thankfully there have been many studies undertaken on these issues, supplying us with evidence and strategies on ways that we can reframe our thinking so that we don’t go down the rabbit hole of negative thinking, leading to potential poor decision making. 

Cognitive reframing (mindset reframing) is a technique used to move the mindset from being in the negative zone to a more positive outlook, where you can see things from different perspectives and allow yourself the opportunity to make rational decisions. You want to use cognitive reframing to turn those negative thoughts into opportunities for change and growth. Essentially moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. 

It is important to note that you don’t want to deny those sad, or negative feelings. If you are helping someone you could validate their feelings by saying “ I know you are nervous about the upcoming test, I know I used to feel nervous about tests as well, but they were never as bad as I had first imagined.” The goal should be to work towards developing healthy language and conversations to empower oneself or your child. 

Like all things, working on cognitive reframing is something that doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes time and practice. It is not easy to spot the times where you are being negative, but if you are honest with yourself and reflective on your thoughts you will find knowing what to look for will become easier for you. 

So, next time you find yourself going down that rabbit hole, take a step back and breathe, allow yourself time to have those initial thoughts, but then think how you could strengthen your self talk to empower yourself and those around you.