It’s funny how the beauty of art has so much more to do with the frame than the artwork itself.
Chuck Palahniuk, Choke
Our mind is a powerful thing. One thought can send a ripple through us and throw us into a tailspin. Other thoughts can manifest at a young age and propel us to be superheroes. I think the biggest advantage we have as conscious thinkers is our ability to reframe our thoughts. Before we get to the process of reframing, we must first reflect.
What are my worries?
I feel stressed out some days more than others. On those bad days, it feels like literally nothing goes right: my phone charger didn’t work properly overnight, I hit every red light on the way into work, and I immediately receive two emails on things that need to be fixed. This snowball effect comes from the space my head is at—”it’s a Wednesday and nothing good happens on Wednesdays…”
This happens with larger events in our life, though, too. When I first got to college and realized how good everyone else on the team was, I felt like I didn’t belong. I let the doubt and worry get the better of me and I did not perform the way I could have. This is called Imposter Syndrome and it happens to a lot of people. Doubt, guilt, and perfectionism can creep in at any time. We CAN change them if we are able to slow down and recognize them.
Shift the mindset.
Now that we have narrowed down the root of the stress and anxiety, it is time to attack it. We want to turn our biggest worry into our best friend. Maybe I put pressure on myself to be perfect every pitch I throw. This is great for me until I give up a hit or two. Then I get too fine and throw balls rather than challenging the hitter. To shift this, I can begin to think about how the game is tilted in my favor. I can realize the hitters will get out if I just give them a chance to do so. I do not need to be perfect, because my average stuff is good enough when I challenge hitters with it.
Another example is that imposter syndrome. Maybe there is a pitcher who used to blow cheese in high school. Nobody could touch him. He gets his first collegiate fall, his velo is down a little as it always is in the fall, but he is facing 18-22-year-old men now. These guys can time him up. He gets discouraged and rather than attacking hitters with his best, he begins to guide the ball in hopes of avoiding damage. Ideally the athlete will want to shift to something like this: I am here because I deserve to be here. I was great in high school because I knew I was better than the other team. This game is no different, I am still better than the other team.
React in a new way.
We have uncovered the source of the stress. We have made the shift in our thinking. Now it is time to put it into action. The more you can practice reframing your negative thoughts into positive ones, the more you will begin to FEEL differently when that situation comes up again. Our thoughts do not determine our feelings, unless we allow them to have power over us. Anxiety and stress are manifested by us. If we can create that kind of emotional response, we can create the response of confidence and swagger as well.
Either your glass is half full, or it’s half empty. You have a choice in life. You can walk around with your tail between your legs and your eyes on the floor, or you can walk around with some bounce and your head held high, ready to take on the world. The choice is yours. Just remember—the image is so much more about how we frame it than what is in the picture itself.
