Should you always turn lemons into lemonade?
Does it always help to look at the bright side?
The idea of “when life gives you lemons…” is to be able to take the situation you are in and make the best of it, or turn it into something even better. Reframing is about lessening the negative emotional impact. It’s not about lying to yourself or not allowing yourself to feel upset, angry, bummed, etc. It’s all about playing with the context; playing with the frame that picture is in.
Why would you consider turning your lemon of a situation into lemonade?
- Looking at the bright side can lessen the distress you feel at your current situation.
- It helps you shift your focus into what’s in your control versus what’s out of your control.
- It helps you see solutions more quickly and more clearly.
Reframing is one of the tools you can use to help you bounce. Is there another way to look at this situation in front of me? It takes practice. This is a major skill of resilience and psychological flexibility. And it’s an important skill because whether it’s on the court, in the field, in a race, at work, or in life— we will always be encountering challenging situations. We will always have moments of facing minor and major setbacks. Always. So if we know that it’s not a matter of IF, but WHEN— why WOULDN’T we spend time working on a skill that can help us get through these situations with less of a negative impact!?
How far a setback sets you back is up to you. Reframing is a tool that helps you shift your view, to see the situation through a different lens so instead of seeing obstacles you can see opportunities. You can shift your focus to things that are in your control and take action. It doesn’t mean you don’t feel-your-feelings, but it means the blow to your mental well-being is less and you can move to acceptance and resilience more quickly.