This Is The Fun Bit!
Positive reframing is an interesting thing.
In case you haven’t heard of reframing (or can’t be bothered reading the wiki page), I’ll quickly explain it.
Reframing is the act of taking something shitty, and spinning it to emphasise the (to you) positive aspects.
Here’s a classic example:
Why yes, I have seen someone wearing this. Oh boy.
So really, it’s just choosing to look at things from a better angle.
Here’s another great example:
saying "Oh captain my captain" is optional
Often something as simple as standing on your desks can be enough to shift your entire viewpoint.
So, other than the myriad of cheap laughs, why bother reframing?
Because oftentimes dissolving a problem, or seeing your way past a situation can be as simple as changing how you look at it.
Audiences know what they expect and that is all they are prepared to believe in.
Unsurprisingly, it’s like Shakespeare said “There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so“ (Hamlet to Rosencrantz, how awesome is that?).
In other words, no situation makes things as difficult for us as how we think about that situation.
So, to reframing.
Until now, I’ve never really been convinced about reframing. What am I going to do? Just say something differently (lie to myself?) & hope it sticks?
Yeah, that never gelled.
Until I stumbled across this particular phrase:
“This is the fun bit”
I’ve got some pretty hairy stuff going down in my life right now (long, boring story – but also why I haven’t posted much). And yep, it’s been crazy stressful at times. A lot of uncertainty, a lot of confusion, a lot of what-the-eff?!?!
And yet every time I say that phrase to myself, everything instantly shifts.
“This is the fun bit”
- Things stop being crazy and out of control; they start being crazy and fun (like being attacked by 4 ukes at once in Aikido).
“This is the fun bit”
- Things stop being scary; they start being exhilarating (like a rollercoaster).
“This is the fun bit”
- Things stop being unpredictable; they start being thrilling (like an exciting movie).
“This is the fun bit”
- I stop freezing up because things are overwhelming; I start rolling with it all instead (like flowing effortlessly through a bustling crowd)
.. and as an added bonus, I’ve found that quite as a side effect, I instinctively & effortlessly dump a huge amount of negative energy around whatever-it-was that was bothering me in the first place.
It’s the single most powerful thing I’ve found to say to myself in times of strife & difficulty.. and so, I pass it to you.
