Reframing is one of a life coaches biggest mindset tools.
To reframe in the context of mindset is “to change the way something is expressed or considered”.
The 3 C’s of reframing provide a simple way to remember the strategy: Catch it, Check it, Change it
Catch It: First, become aware of faulty thinking, or negative thoughts. Practice stopping your thought process when you feel intense emotion and ask how you got there. Then…
Check It: Is what you’re thinking useful? Are your thoughts based on facts or feelings? What is the evidence? Am I misinterpreting the evidence? How is this thought behaving? If needed…
Change It: Pick a more useful thought, based on facts. Thoughts create results, good or bad!
Here are a couple examples:
- Situation: Everyone’s busy, so I’m spending an evening alone with no plans. *Fact
- Thoughts: No one wants to hang out with me. I’m just wasting my life, sitting here alone.
- Emotions: Depressed.
- Behavior: Stayed home all night and did nothing. Just sat around having bad thoughts.
- Alternate Thought: I’m alone tonight, but everyone is alone from time to time. I can do whatever I want!
and
- Situation: A difficult assignment is due at school. *Fact
- Thoughts: This is so much work. I’m horrible at this stuff. I don’t think I can do it.
- Emotions: Anxious.
- Behaviors: Avoided the assignment until the last minute. Had to rush my work.
- Alternate Thought: This is a difficult assignment, and it’ll take a lot of work. And I know I can do it if I break it into small pieces.
Some people find it helpful to write this process down, and look for patterns of distorted thinking over several situations.
Next time you are struggling with a negative thought catch it, check it and change it if needed!
P.S. If you want to experience how working with a coach can help you learn to reframe your thoughts in a faster, easier and more fun way click the button in the lower right corner and schedule a FREE, no-pressure call with me!