One of the useful holdovers from my counseling days is reframing—looking at a situation that might seem negative at first, and finding a positive way to perceive it.
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So the fact that I’m underemployed can be reframed as . . . .me being fortunate to have a very flexible schedule.
We live in a small house which can sometimes be tough, especially since we’ve downsized, but . . . .we’ve reduced our carbon footprint—and utility bills.
Plus, buying this small house allows us to be in a walkable neighborhood near great restaurants, stores, and Petunia’s school.
Being on a budget is . . . .teaching Petunia about making responsible choices.
Petunia’s strong opinions about what she wears is not a plan to make her parents late and push us to our limits, but . . . .means that she:
a) has her own sense of style
b) is discerning
c) is not afraid to use her voice
d) is strong-willed
e) all of the above
f) other
I would love to hear some of the positive reframes that help you embrace your current circumstances. Also, please give me your opinion on how best to reframe Petunia's strong opinions on clothing!
This is a skill I could definitely hone. The idea of "choosing" feelings is a tricky one for me; I struggle with the notion of authenticity or honesty. But then again, I ask my kids to feel differently all the time ("Really, J, must we cry because I had to turn off Veggie Tales so we can have dinner?"), and that's about maturity rather than faking it. Hmm. I'm going to go reframe my thoughts on reframing...
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