reframe | EN
✨ Manage stress and anxiety with one simple, proven technique.
Most people feel better in under 5 minutes.
Before we begin, a quick note:
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Now we'll ask just a few questions about how you're feeling right now.
Please share how much you agree or disagree with the following statements based on how you're feeling right now, in this moment.
I feel that the future is hopeless and that things cannot improve.
My future seems dark to me.
Things just won't work out the way I want them to.
There's no use in really trying to get something I want, because I probably won't get it.
At this moment, how ready are you to work towards improving your mental health?
Thank you for answering these questions 💞
Now let's get started...
💞 Over 10,000 people have taken this course...
In just 5 minutes, they improved a lot!
"This tool is... wow, it's really helping me."
"This is great! Quick and simple, but effective."
"I've been practicing what I've learned and I'm feeling so much better..."
Let's start things off with my own personal story. I want to tell you why I created this course.
When I was a graduate student at MIT, I felt very overwhelmed. In fact...
😩 I was stressed out of my mind!
But I had some wonderful mentors and I learned some simple techniques to help pull me through...
I learned all about reframing.
Take a guess at what that means...
🙌 Yes! We're going to teach you how to reframe negative experiences.
🤔 Not quite... We're going to teach you how to reframe negative experiences.
Reframing is not about being overly happy or optimistic...
👀 It's about finding new ways to think. It's the idea that even the worst situations can be reframed to some degree.
💪 And by practicing reframing repeatedly, you start to build up the muscle for yourself.
This is what happens in your brain when you reframe something…
The 'thinking' part of your brain (prefrontal cortex) - which helps you stay calm and make good choices - suppresses the 'feeling' part of your brain (limbic system) which can sometimes get loud with big emotions.
People who practice this often feel less down and happier overall.
Let's get started. Please read the short passage below:
"I feel like I’m never going to succeed in my career, and I’m scared because I feel like I can’t even make progress on my goals. I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling really down, like a failure."
On a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy), how easy do you think it would be to reframe this? To find a more hopeful point of view?
There are a few different thoughts we could reframe here.
👇 I'll highlight them in bold:
"I feel like I’m never going to succeed in my career, and I’m scared because I feel like I can’t even make progress on my goals. I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling really down, like a failure."
Let's just pick one (in bold):
"...I feel like I can’t even make progress on my goals. I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling really down, like a failure."
What's a more hopeful way to reframe this?
👉 Can you think of any reasons why they might not be a failure?
"...I feel like I can’t even make progress on my goals. I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling really down, like a failure."
Fill in the rest of the sentence:
This person is struggling to make progress on their goals, but they aren’t a failure because...
🙌 Good! They’re not a failure just because they are struggling to make progress on their goals. Their thoughts aren't "wrong" ... but they could twist them, just a bit, to find a more hopeful perspective.
Here are some thoughts from others who've taken this course:
"It takes time and persistence to achieve goals. Just because you haven’t succeeded yet doesn’t make you a failure. I struggle with running long distances, but that doesn’t make me a failure!"
"Maybe the circumstances are particularly challenging. They could be dealing with external factors that make progress difficult."
"Maybe they’ll excel in a different environment or with different strategies. That may make things harder now, but it doesn’t mean they are a failure!"
OK, let's check in. Here's that post again:
"I feel like I’m never going to succeed in my career, and I’m scared because I feel like I can’t even make progress on my goals. I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling really down, like a failure."
On a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy), now how easy do you think it would be to reframe this?
Let's try another example. Someone wrote...
"I've been struggling with migraines lately. I'm taking Advil and trying to rest but nothing helps. I'm going to suffer forever."
💫 What's a more hopeful way to reframe this?
"I'm taking Advil and trying to rest but nothing helps. I'm going to suffer forever."
This person may not have to suffer forever. This could get better because...
👏 You're halfway through this course!
The next bit is going to be interactive and fun!
💪 Ready to try reframing for yourself?
Pick a scenario below and we'll take you through an interactive exercise.
Think of a recent situation where you received critical feedback at school/work.
How did it make you feel?
What is the most negative thought you had during this situation?
OK, you recently had a stressful situation at school/work.
It made you feel {{field:c506a76d-09f9-4cc7-aea7-a4448e0ebdb5}}, and the most negative thought you had around this was {{field:163679ff-3db1-40d4-aa64-9f70a35b1542}}.
On a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy), how easy do you think it would be to reframe this thought? To find a more hopeful point of view?
What evidence contradicts your most negative thought?
You said: {{field:163679ff-3db1-40d4-aa64-9f70a35b1542}}.
Choose a statement which suggests this is not the case:
What’s a more hopeful way to interpret this situation?
Great! Here's your reframed thought:
I received some critical feedback at school/work. Initially, I felt {{field:c506a76d-09f9-4cc7-aea7-a4448e0ebdb5}}, and the worst thought I had about this was {{field:163679ff-3db1-40d4-aa64-9f70a35b1542}}
However, I reminded myself that {{field:7f7c778d-de1f-48ce-bff4-86ae7706d557}} {{field:8862793e-577c-4e05-b17b-638daa21c9bb}} I can handle constructive criticism and use it to become better.
How does this reframed thought make you feel?
How easy do you think it would be to reframe this kind of thought in the future?
Choose below on a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy).
Think of a recent situation where you faced rejection in dating. How did it make you feel?
What is the most negative thought you had during this situation?
OK, you recently faced rejection in dating.
It made you feel {{field:40c0e821-7ea3-4a6b-8713-b8d3a4b3cc8c}}, and the most negative thought you had around this was {{field:e4abd18a-0b96-4290-ac14-be3dd0643b36}}.
On a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy), how easy do you think it would be to reframe this thought? To find a more hopeful point of view?
What evidence contradicts your most negative thought?
You said: {{field:e4abd18a-0b96-4290-ac14-be3dd0643b36}}
Choose a statement which suggests this is not the case:
What’s a more hopeful way to interpret this situation?
Great! Here's your reframed thought:
I recently faced rejection in dating. Initially, I felt {{field:40c0e821-7ea3-4a6b-8713-b8d3a4b3cc8c}}, and the worst thought I had about this was {{field:e4abd18a-0b96-4290-ac14-be3dd0643b36}}
However, I reminded myself that {{field:08de7a5c-edbd-4924-89df-00d439315bf2}} {{field:307262ae-a752-46b2-b0e1-277f08cb325d}} Everyone experiences rejection; it's part of the journey towards finding a meaningful relationship.
How does this reframed thought make you feel?
How easy do you think it would be to reframe this kind of thought in the future?
Choose below on a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy).
Think of a recent situation where you procrastinated on an important task. How did it make you feel?
What is the most negative thought you had during this situation?
OK, you recently procrastinated on an important task.
It made you feel {{field:8bc8a1f0-f25b-410b-89aa-90e97da5e869}}, and the most negative thought you had around this was {{field:1e293eee-6adc-4e01-82de-db90fcf2f6cc}}
On a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy), how easy do you think it would be to reframe this thought? To find a more hopeful point of view?
What evidence contradicts your most negative thought?
You said: {{field:1e293eee-6adc-4e01-82de-db90fcf2f6cc}}
Choose a statement which suggests this is not the case:
What’s a more hopeful way to interpret this situation?
Great! Here's your reframed thought:
I recently procrastinated on an important task. Initially, I felt {{field:8bc8a1f0-f25b-410b-89aa-90e97da5e869}}, and the worst thought I had about this was {{field:1e293eee-6adc-4e01-82de-db90fcf2f6cc}}
However, I reminded myself that {{field:ff5ba0b5-8494-462a-8786-6d6f1bea2cfa}} {{field:0f7cb376-3c6f-4fa8-9cab-4b7beb443539}} This task is achievable if I approach it systematically.
How does this reframed thought make you feel?
How easy do you think it would be to reframe this kind of thought in the future?
Choose below on a scale from 0 (impossible) to 10 (super easy).
The next time you are stressed about something, be kind to yourself. Take a breath, and then try to think differently.
💡 Here's a hint...
Almost anything can be reframed with one of the following statements.
Pick one that could work for you:
OK, you picked "{{field:563c3478-eee9-454b-96f6-f0a3e0dc38b6}}"
Write this on a post-it note and put it somewhere you'll see it often.
Before we finish up, we want to teach you some other useful frameworks to incorporate the power of reframing in your daily life.
It'll only take a minute!
You can practice reframing with a Daily Reflection Journal.
Each evening, take 10-15 minutes to write about any stressful events of the day. Identify the negative thoughts you had and practice reframing them.
Over time, this can help train your brain to automatically look for a hopeful perspective to any negative situation.
Going further, set a personal challenge to reframe a certain number of negative thoughts each day or week.
You could even reward yourself for meeting your goals!
By setting a daily or weekly goal, you will start to develop the habit of thinking positively. This is key to building resilience and maintaining a positive mindset.
Thank you!
Before you go, we have just a few more questions...
Please share how much you agree or disagree with the following statements based on how you're feeling right now, in this moment.
I feel that the future is hopeless and that things cannot improve.
My future seems dark to me.
Things just won't work out the way I want them to.
There's no use in really trying to get something I want, because I probably won't get it.
At this moment, how ready are you to work towards improving your mental health?
How satisfied are you with this course?
We’d love to hear what you thought of this course.
Your words help us learn how to make this resource better — and they truly inspire our team! 💛
You could start with:
💬 “This made me feel...”
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