Have you ever noticed how the same work situation can feel completely different depending on which mental lens you’re looking through? That presentation you’re dreading can be either evidence that you’re ‘not cut out for this’ or an opportunity to refine an important skill. The negative feedback on your project can be a blow to your confidence or valuable information that will strengthen your work.
This mental shift that allows us to see things in different ways is reframing; it’s a skill we can develop. I’ve found it valuable both personally and so have my coaching clients.
What is reframing?
Reframing is a technique that allows you to shift your perspective so you can view a situation, relationship, or challenge from a different angle (Bernstein, 2024). It’s not about denying reality or suppressing legitimate concerns—rather, it’s about recognizing that multiple interpretations of the same situation can exist simultaneously.
The fundamental idea behind reframing is that the lens through which we view our circumstances significantly influences our experience of them. When we shift that lens, the meaning we assign to those circumstances changes; this often leads to new thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that better serve our goals and wellbeing.
Why reframing matters in your career
Our professional lives—whether you’re in academia or another field—is ripe with challenges, uncertainties, and high expectations. Here are a few reasons that reframing is a valuable career (and life) skill:
1. It disrupts unhelpful thinking patterns
Most of us tend to have habitual ways of interpreting situations and, often times, our default way of interpreting a situation is negative, or not very positive.
For instance, if you’re a new faculty member, you might interpret silence during your lectures as student disengagement rather than thoughtful processing or cultural differences in classroom participation.
Reframing helps break these patterns by introducing new interpretations that are equally valid but more constructive (see here for an earlier blog post I wrote on self-talk advice).
2. It expands your problem-solving skills
When we face career challenges, having just one perspective limits our options. Yet, when my coaching clients are invited to generate options, I’ve noticed (time and time again) that they come up with only one or two options, initially. With prompting, and a thinking partner (coach, invested colleague or other), the possibilities expand manyfold. Reframing opens up new possibilities for addressing problems that might otherwise seem insurmountable.
3. It changes your language, which changes your thinking
The words we use—both in our internal dialogue and external communications—shape our experiences. When we shift our language, we begin to shift our thinking (Newberg & Waldman, 2012). This can be very helpful in professional contexts where the stories we tell ourselves can significantly impact our performance and satisfaction.
Please note: Shifting your language is not about fake-positive-thinking. I’m not in favour of that at all. See the example below.
Reframing in action: Some examples
Example 1: The “unsupportive” director
A lab supervisor working in a research institute shared this situation:
“I’ve communicated with my director about challenges I’m having with my direct reports. I feel I’m lacking management skills and have asked for support—training, mentorship, anything—but her support hasn’t been visible. The story I’m telling myself is that she doesn’t care enough to help and that I’m not worth investing in.”
The reframe: “My director has many competing priorities and may not fully understand the specific support I need. Her lack of immediate action doesn’t reflect my value—it likely reflects institutional constraints or communication gaps. This is an opportunity for me to identify, specifically, what would help me succeed and to seek additional resources beyond my director. And to practice advocating for myself.”
This reframe acknowledges the reality (limited support) while shifting from a self-deprecating interpretation to one that recognizes organizational complexity and empowers the person to seek multiple avenues of growth.
Example 2: The pre-tenure professor approaching tenure review
An assistant professor approaching her tenure review shared:
“I want to ask my senior colleague for feedback on my dossier, but they’re so busy and I worry about burdening them.”
The reframe: “Seeking feedback is a sign of my commitment to excellence. I trust that my senior colleagues were helped along the way. If they are unable to review the whole dossier, I can identify a section where I would most benefit from their input.”
Reframing versus toxic positivity
It’s important to distinguish reframing from “toxic positivity”—the tendency to portray a positive outlook or image (for example, to portray yourself as happy and ‘going with the flow’) in a difficult time while suppressing the negative aspects of one’s perceived reality (Lew & Flanagan, 2023). This distinction is crucial because if you conflate the two, and discard reframing as a “useless” you’re missing out on a valuable life tool.
Toxic positivity might sound like: “Don’t worry about that rejection letter—everything happens for a reason!” or “Just stay positive about your workload—it could be worse!”
Such responses can invalidate genuine struggles and prevent necessary problem-solving.
True reframing acknowledges the reality of challenging situations while opening up alternative, more constructive ways to interpret and respond to them. It recognizes that your initial perspective is ONE perspective, not the ONLY perspective.
Reframing allows space to:
- Acknowledge genuine difficulties
- Honour your emotional responses
- Identify aspects of the situation within your control
- Find meaning or opportunity within challenges
A simple framework to practice reframing
Reframing is a skill that can be developed with practice. Here’s a straightforward process:
1. Notice
Become aware of your current interpretation of a situation. What story are you telling yourself? What assumptions are you making? What emotions are you experiencing?
- Example A: A faculty member might notice thinking: “My proposal wasn’t funded because my research isn’t valuable enough.”
- Example B: A workshop facilitator might catch themselves thinking: “The low workshop attendance means the staff aren’t interested in this topic.”
2. Question
Here’s where you challenge your interpretation: What information might I be missing? What are some other possible explanations?
- For Example A: “What other factors might be at play to help me understand why my research wasn’t funded? How many other proposals were submitted? What was the acceptance rate? Where could my proposal have been stronger?”
- For Example B: “What other factors might affect workshop attendance—timing, promotional channels, competing events? Have staff expressed interest in this topic through other means?”
3. Generate alternatives
Ask yourself “What’s another way to think about this?”. This is where you develop other possible interpretations (i.e., your reframes) that are equally or more plausible and constructive as your initial interpretation.
- For Example A: “Funding is extremely competitive and this rejection reflects limited resources, not limited value. I worked very hard on creating a solid proposal and now have additional feedback to strengthen my next proposal.”
- For Example B: “Staff are juggling multiple priorities. This lower attendance gives me the opportunity to create a more personalized experience for those who did come. Plus, I can explore other formats like recorded sessions or smaller group discussions to reach more people.”
Moving forward with new perspectives
Reframing won’t eliminate your career challenges, but it does shift how you experience and respond to them. By developing this skill, you equip yourself with a useful tool for navigating, and responding to, the complexities of professional life with more creativity and self-compassion.
What career situation might benefit from your reframing today?
References
Bernstein, J. (2024, May 30). The best way to feel better: Unlock greater mental well-being with this time-tested strategy. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/liking-the-child-you-love/202405/the-best-way-to-feel-better
Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2013). Words can change your brain: 12 conversation strategies to build trust, resolve conflict, and increase intimacy. Penguin.
Lew, Z., & Flanagin, A. J. (2023). Toxic positivity on social media: The drawbacks and benefits of sharing positive (but potentially platitudinous) messages online. New Media & Society, 14614448231213944.
If you find yourself struggling to shift persistent negative thought patterns in your career, let’s talk. I specialize in helping higher education professionals develop practical tools for greater clarity, confidence, and satisfaction.
Reach out at isabeauiqbal(at)gmail(dot)com, and let’s find practical ways to move forward.
