Reframing: The Art of Changing Meaning-Adam Khoo

So, how we represent (frame) our experiences determines how we respond and the outcomes we achieve. Therefore we must learn to constantly frame experiences ways that empower us, and empower the people around us.

When you change the way you represent (frame) something, you totally change the meaning and the emotions associated with that experience. As a result, you change the decisions you make and the actions you take.

You must learn how to create resourceful meanings out of every experience. Successful leaders and entrepreneurs do this to empower themselves and others to reach their goals.The process of turning a negative experience into a positive one is called reframing.

There are two ways you can do this, Content Reframing and Context Reframing.

Content Reframing…
Content reframing is the process of changing a negative experience into a positive one by changing the meaning of the experience. Remember, every event has multiple meanings. The meaning we choose to focus on is what becomes real for us. The best way to do a content reframe is to ask the question,‘What else can this mean?’ ‘How can this benefit or empower me instead of depressing me?’

For example, if the recession hit when you were about to start your business, you could content reframe it by saying,‘Good! This means that business costs, like rental and salaries,will be lower and allow us to break even faster’.Or you could say, ‘Good! This means prospective clients will be more open to listening to suppliers who offer better value for money.’ There are multiple reasons why starting a business in a
recession will be a positive experience!

Context Reframing…

Another way to reframe an experience is to do a context reframe. A context reframe is the process of changing a negative experience into a positive one by changing the context from which it is perceived.

Have you ever had a negative experience only to look back at it five years later and say, ‘That was a blessing in disguise?’ In a different context (i.e. the future), the meaning of that experience changed from bad to good.
In doing a context reframe, you must ask the question, ‘In a different time or place, how would the meaning be beneficial?’ You see, everything that seems bad now, when put into a different time or place, could appear beneficial.

Going back to the first example of starting a business in a recession, you could use a context reframe by saying, ‘When the economy picks up, the company will be positioned to do very well as it has been tested and strengthened by the recession’.

Now, imagine that you, or someone you know, are experiencing the following scenarios. How would you reframe each negative experience to empower that person or yourself?Take some time and think of as many ways as you can to reframe each experience.