It’s not about the perfect reframe. It’s about the process.

When something goes wrong or doesn’t go according to plan, a helpful move is to pause and look for a lighter way to name what’s happening.

The exact words of the reframe aren’t important. It doesn’t have to be clever or laugh-out-loud funny—the goal is just to make it a _little_ lighter.

Even the attempt to come up with a reframe gets us thinking about the situation from different angles. A spilled coffee, for example, could be:

• “Today, I’m trying an un-caffeinated meeting.”
• “Maybe if I wear this sweater as a scarf, I can cover the stain?”
• “Yay! Now I get to try a different coffee flavor.”

None of these perspectives has to “fix” the problem. Simply noticing that there are multiple angles already changes how the moment feels.

The process of searching for a reframe warms up the brain. It loosens us out of stuck, emotional reactions and opens the door to more creativity, flexibility, and better responses in the moment.

Over time, practicing this way of seeing strengthens those same muscles—creativity, flexibility, and resilience—so we’re better equipped for whatever comes next.