Check Your Attitude: Reframing Your Thoughts

Ever wake up and feel like you can't do anything right, and that Life in general is out to thwart you?  I can't tell you the number of days I've felt like that.  The key, I've found, is to "reframe" your thoughts.  Basically that means you recognize when you're thinking negatively/irrationally/unproductively, and rework or "reframe" your thoughts into something more reasonable/productive.  I stumbled across this exercise at FlyLady's site that's helpful in putting this technique to work.  (I mention her in the Book of Me, on page 30').  Apparently, she recently posed a challenge to her visitors/subscribers:

When you catch yourself whining; I want you to stop and send it to me. Type it up and then give yourself a positive reply to it. Say that positive reply out loud. Put it on a post-it note.

What's even cooler than the challenge itself is that she asked her visitors to email her with their reframed thoughts, and she's posted an archive of them on her website: FlyLady.net: New Attitudes!!. This is a fabulous resource for a couple of reasons -- 1) it reminds you that many people worry and fuss over similar concerns and 2) it gives you concrete examples of how to reframe your thoughts.  You can either use someone else's "happy thoughts", or use them as examples to form your own.

Here's a great example of reframing -- do you see yourself in this one??

"I am a procrastinating perfectionist, afraid to do 'whatever' because I might do it wrong...."

"Being a perfectionist in this present life is unrealistic. Just do the best you can! So stop thinking about it and jump in now!"

How does this relate to scrapbooking?  In my Book of Me album, I have a layout titled, "All in My Head".  You can see it on page 57 in The Book of Me.  The journaling basically describes the 'conversations' I often have with my Inner Critic, and what a challenge it can be to reframe my thoughts into more productive ones.  Here's an excerpt from the journaling:

Since 1990, I have struggled with how I perceive my accomplishments and myself.  The roar of my critical inner voice can sometimes be deafening.  I often view myself through a sort of distorted haze.  I dismiss my accomplishments as commonplace.  I believe I should have done more or better, then feel guilty for my "failures".  Then I assume other people make similar judgments.

But because I am strong, I am trying to fight those automatic thoughts.  My attitude is something I can control.  I can choose to call a halt to the "stinkin' thinkin'" that pops into my head.  I can work to consciously replace it with more encouraging phrases that offer me more hope than despair.  Because I continually strive to maintain a rational and positive mindset, my mental health is a Work in Progress.

...The phrase "It's all in your head" often has a negative connotation, meaning that whatever you're feeling is just your imagination, that it's not real.  I prefer another meaning.  I have the power to create a healthy positive attitude.  It's all in my head.

For your own BoM, consider making a layout of your common negative/unproductive thoughts, and how you can reframe them.  Writing this out and creating the layout will help you become your own self-fulfilling prophecy -- as your work on the layout, you'll help yourself get to a healthier way of thinking.  Then each time you look at the layout, you'll remind yourself of it.  More power to ya!

Other resources:
Change Your Thinking at vickieenkoff.com
Cognitive Therapy: What is it?
9 Ways to Shift Your Mood by Cheryl Rainfield
Right Here, Write Now at PsychologyToday.com (scientific proof that creating a Book of Me is a healthy thing to do!)

Now.  What thoughts can YOU reframe?  What thoughts will help you be happier and more productive?  Share your comments, and bless someone else.

Comments

[queue_t]

Thanks for blogging about great topics and timley advice. I post a link to you today on my blog. I have been in need of an attitude adjustment too these days.

Tamara

[Thena Smith]

Just stopping by to say hello! Hope to see you at Memory Trends!

Thena

[Thena Smith]

Just stopping by to say hello! Hope to see you at Memory Trends!

Thena