Embracing change with Cognitive Reframing helps change negative thoughts into more realistic and hopeful attitude.
I was asked the question; how do I cope so well with change? What a great question… Why you ask? It’s because it made me start to think about how and why I respond to change the way that I do, as I had always thought change was an essential part of life, allowing you to expand your skills and embrace new experiences.
However change can also be confronting and unsettling, while change is an inevitable part of life, knowing that doesn’t mean dealing with change is easy. Finding ways to accept and cope can make these transitions smoother and less troubling.
Change requires adjustments. Sometimes these can be small things like finding a new way to do something, or you might find that change introduces significant disruptions to the way you live your life. This doesn’t mean change is always bad. But even good changes you are excited about can be stress-inducing. Things might not have been perfect before, but you may have been comfortable in your previous state of equilibrium.
The way you think about change plays a major role in determining how well you deal with it. Automatic negative thinking patterns can undermine your ability to focus on the positive. When negative thoughts bog you down, it is more challenging to have faith in your coping abilities.
Cognitive Reframing
Cognitive reframing is a technique that can help people change these negative thoughts. It’s a strategy you can utilize in your day-to-day life to help look at situations with a more realistic, hopeful attitude. It’s shifts the perspective from which you view a situation.
For example, if you see a change as something that is upsetting the balance of your life, chances are that you’re going to find it much more challenging to handle that change effectively. It’s more empowering to shift that perspective to focus more on your strengths and abilities to adapt.
This way, you might see the positives that come out of the situation or believe in your ability to survive and thrive through change. While cognitive reframing is something you can work on anytime you notice yourself caught in a pattern of negative thinking.
You can’t always control change, but you can manage how you respond to those changes. Developing a positive mindset is a great way to promote resilience, but it is also important to care for yourself during these times of transition. Make sure you are sticking to a routine, caring for your physical and emotional needs, and asking your loved ones for help when you need an extra hand.
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