Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, once said, "Between stimulus and thought, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response".
It has been shown that stress creates more wear and tear on the body when associated with negative thoughts, or if we don't think we're coping well with it. Reframing your stress can build your mental and physical resilience to the
challenges in your life.
Use the attached chart to record the stressful situations you encounter this week. Record them in the "event" column. Next, fill in your "stress story" for the event. A stress story is the meaning you apply to a situation. It's your interpretation or belief of the event. Pay attention to the emotional response this brings you, and record this in the "emotion/response" field. This sequence is your default reaction to a stressful event.
But, what if you changed the story? By redefining the event and reframing your stress story, you can generate a new type of emotional response. Step outside your typical way of thinking, and come up with a new stress story that seeks the potential for positivity. Write this in the new stress story field. Then reflecting upon it, notice your emotional response, and record it in the "new emotion/response" box.
Repeat this process for the major stressful events you encounter over the next week. If you find this process to be helpful, practice implementing it when stressful events come up for you in the future.