What Is Optimistic Reappraisal & Why It’s Vital For Behavior Change
We’ve all experienced that negative headspace when we’re frustrated with ourselves and want to scream “WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?! GET IT TOGETHER!” Negative self-talk is common, and comes in many different forms:
Filtering: You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. ...
Personalizing: When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. ...
Catastrophizing: You automatically anticipate the worst. ...
A quote I really resonate with is, “The goal isn’t to get rid of all your negative thoughts and feelings; that’s impossible. The goal is to change your response to them.” How we relate to our thoughts has a big impact on our lives. Cue “Optimistic Reappraisal”
Optimistic reappraisal is mentally 💭 reframing an event to reduce the stress or negative emotions you feel. For example, let’s say that I dropped my 🍦 ice cream on the ground and the line is too long to go back for another. I can tell myself that I will sleep better without the sugar rush before bed. Or I might tell myself that it’s not so bad because I can have a cookie at home if I really want a treat. Or maybe I tell myself that it’s good I dropped my ice cream because I know my blood sugar levels have been on the rise. The overall goal is to feel better about myself after the event 👍🏻.
Now, why is this “vital for behavior change”? Let’s set the scene here. You’re working on building a habit that involves exercise. When the negative “I can’t do it”/ “I don’t have time” / “I’m not seeing results quick enough” self-talk occurs, having the ability to:
1️⃣ Recognize the Thought 💭: Take a moment to recognize that the thought is forming in your brain. Remember: It’s impossible to get rid of all your negative thoughts and feelings. You’re human.
2️⃣ Relax the Body, Release the Thinking 🧘♀️: When you’re experiencing these negative thoughts, your body is also reacting. You’re going through some form of a fight-flight-freeze response, so take a moment to relax your body. Take some deep breaths.
3️⃣ Name a Positive 👍🏻: Think: What’s actually good right now? Instead of:
“I can’t do it” think “I haven’t tried the way that sticks yet.”
“I don’t have time” think “I can block it off in my calendar to give myself this time.”
“I’m not seeing results quick enough” think “I’m doing this for a healthier future. I’ve spent years out of the game and I know it takes patience to get back in it.”
Have gratitude for this good and appreciate the effort you’ve put in thus far.
Why is this phenomenon important?
🌟 It helps us view challenges as opportunities
🌟 It showcases our strengths instead of weaknesses
🌟 It reduces negative emotions and increases happiness, even during difficult times
Overall, it keeps us in the game working towards our behavior goal. Did you know, individuals who report utilizing optimistic reappraisal are much more likely to successfully adopt a new habit?
A common question is, “how can I even start the process?”
To get familiar with the process, when you are engaging in negative self-talk, ask yourself these questions to help you reappraise:
🌟Are you grateful for any part of this situation?
🌟What did you learn?
🌟How did you grow and develop as a result of this situation?
🌟In what ways are you better off than when you started?
🌟Were there, or will there be, any positive outcomes that result from this situation?
You can journal it 📓✏️, leave a voice memo 🗣, or just talk through these in your head🧐. The more practice you have doing it, the more automatic the response will be 👍🏻😉.
So, now that you’ve learned a little bit more about optimistic reappraisal, what changes can you make to be more conscious about the self-talk that goes on in your head? Let me know!