Things happen in life and people react differently to different situations. One may find a situation amusing, another person may find it offensive or annoying and another may find it insulting or demeaning. The meaning of any experience is dependent on how you put it in context.

An actual event – like a rainy day, has no meaning on its own. It’s the people who gives meaning to certain events in life depending on their background, values, beliefs, likes and dislikes cultural practices and many more. Reframing is a technique of changing the meaning of things, to get a different response or behavior.

When a perspective or meaning is changed, the response to that situation will be different as well.

Every behavior however difficult, annoying, frustrating or that seems to be of no value or use can have a new meaning if you can find a context where it’s useful. This representation of events is called reframing. By changing the meaning/perspective of a certain situation or behavior will give it some value.

There are two kinds of reframing, content and context reframing. Reframing is representation of the same event, to get a difference response or reaction. Content is changing the meaning of a behavior to help you see the good side and appreciate the otherwise unlovely character.

Context reframing is finding a way to make an event or behavior to be represented in such a way that it would have value – no matter how negative you think it might be. If you take a situation of a behavior in another context, you will find some value that would have not been present if you did not reframe it.

Example of content reframing: Your child is stubborn.

How can a seemingly negative attitude have a positive meaning or use? What can you possibly do to reframe or change the content/meaning of stubbornness to help you see the good side of this particular behavior?

Well for one, you can try to look at it as your child’s strength. He’s being stubborn may also mean that he will not be easily deterred by discouragements and he can stand by his belief, by his love ones, by his family. So you see, by reframing the content of the behavior, you will appreciate what seems to be a negative behavior of your child.

What about context reframing? Remember that context reframing means finding a way to represent a negative event or behavior in such a way that it will have a positive value.

Example: Your husband is always working and almost has no time for you.

To reframe this negative behavior is to find a context in which you will find a positive value. Like when he provides you and your family everything you need – or buying your dream house or car or giving you your dream vacation. His negative behavior, when taken into another context is given value by what he can provide.

Content or Context Reframing is a behavioral challenge to help you see the good side of everything in life. It can help you become a happy and contented person, knowing that you hold the key in how you would exactly react in every circumstance. Life can be lived any way – why not live it the way you choose?

copyright © 2008 stewart robertson. polevault emotional issues as stewart shows how to reframe in his reframing book including a readymade list of reframes for all emotional complaints in the book of reframes.

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