Written by: Catherine Elizabeth Wood, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We often think about difficult situations from a limited viewpoint. Your brain automatically perceives a difficult situation as a threat which triggers the stress response, and this shuts down our rational thinking. When the brain experiences a threat or a perceived threat during difficult situations, this switches on the stress response which switches off the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain which is responsible for executive functioning including clear thinking, planning, decision-making and problem solving, therefore our rational thinking.
The stress response during difficult situations brings anxiety, overwhelm, and feeling ‘stuck’ in your thoughts about the situation. Therefore, you can feel as if you are unable to move forwards.
Cognitive Distortions
There are many different thinking patterns including cognitive distortions which prevent us from having any helpful thinking during difficult situations. Research suggests cognitive distortions are a way of coping with adverse life events. Cognitive distortions are habitual ways of thinking and are often inaccurate and negatively biased. An example of cognitive distortion: “Bad things always happen to me.”
Reframing
You can develop the ability to see difficult situations from a different perspective which avoids triggering the stress response, using some evidence-based techniques in reframing. Reframing redefines a difficult situation as a challenge that activates clear thinking.
Reframing can be used to change the way you think about a difficult situation, person, or environment, to drive positive and constructive responses.
Reframing enables you to take charge of how you want to respond to difficult situations by avoiding triggering the stress response. This happens because you have redefined the difficult situation as a challenge you can overcome, rather than seeing it as a threat that stops you in your tracks. Reframing activates the prefrontal cortex, giving you the ability to think clearly as to how you want to respond.
Where do you start? Start to notice your thoughts about difficult situations, to begin with. Try writing your thoughts down.
Challenge your thoughts
Next, you need to challenge these thoughts by writing down some alternative explanations, objective evidence, and positive interpretations about the situation. Weigh up the pros and cons of your thought patterns. Do your thoughts give you a sense of control in situations where you feel powerless? Do your thoughts allow you to avoid risk or take responsibility?
After this, try replacing unhelpful thoughts with helpful thoughts. For example, “I feel empowered by taking ownership of the things I can control in this situation.”
One of the ways you can replace unhelpful thoughts with helpful thoughts is by using reframing strategies.
Identify something you are grateful for during a difficult situation. For example, this could be “Although I have lost my job, I will be able to learn and develop the skills for a career I have always wanted to have.”
Turn what you say to yourself about the difficult situation into a motivating boost. For example, you could say, “Remember why you started,” or “All I can do is enough.”
Use the C.I.A framework (Control/Influence/Adapt). Ask yourself: “Can I control the situation?” If not, “Can I influence the situation?” If not, “Do I need to adapt to the situation?”
Adapting to the situation is about taking charge of the things you can control in seeing this situation as a challenge rather than a threat. This will give you the ability to think clearly about the situation to drive a positive and constructive response.
In summary, you can develop the ability to drive positive and constructive outcomes from difficult situations using reframing strategies. This gives you the ability to see the situation as a challenge and the ability to choose how you want to respond.
If you would like further support in reframing difficult situations for positive outcomes, you can register your interest in the NEW Life Renewal App launching on 2 May 2022 via the website. You will have 24/7 access to evidence-based mental fitness resources including reframing, to maintain a state of calm during adversity for clearer thinking about how you want to respond in the moment.
Catherine Elizabeth Wood, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Catherine Wood, is a leader in mental resilience, science-based coaching through neuroscience, and creating new habits for behavior change. After an acute brain injury as an adult left her having irrational thoughts and self-doubt, Catherine developed an interest in neuroplasticity to understand how she could challenge her self-beliefs, promote helpful thoughts and create new habits for behavior change. Catherine has since dedicated her life to helping people to establish their self-belief in who they are as their best self to drive helpful thoughts and create new habits for behavior change in the workplace and in their personal life.
Catherine is the Founder of Life Renewal, the online coaching business combining leadership coaching and team coaching with evidence-based techniques in neuroscience. Catherine helps leaders drive employee engagement by modeling leadership behavior across 7 key leadership skills. Catherine has helped clients through her own coaching programs, workshops, and digital courses including "Mastering Emotional Competence in Leadership." Catherine has been a guest writer for Thrive Global which included an article on "Seeking Opportunities While Navigating Uncertainty", and she hosted a resilience series including "The Neuroscience of Resilience".
Catherine's mission: Science-based coaching for collaborative leadership behavior.
