Reframing is central to wellness. How you and I frame experiences or circumstances has a direct impact on our personal wellness and the outcomes, good, bad, or otherwise. Why is the “art” of reframing worth your time to explore? The health of our communities depends on it.

The individual choices of how we frame situations in a community add up to a larger sum that reflects what is valued and the direction that community will inevitably move. In regards to health and wellness I’d like to share an example of how the reframing of an individual’s behavior impacted not only his own health but those of his tenants who he rented apartments to. It communicates how the single reframe impacts the sum outcome.

This person had been coached that he needed to change his behavior in regards to tobacco use due to related health complications it was causing his body. The provider shared an analogy with the landlord that reframed the impact of smoking to his body: “Imagine a tenant (tobacco) whom you had to pay to live in your house (body). Imagine that you paid them to be there while they soiled your furniture, wrecked your carpets, damaged the walls and roof… Would you call that a good deal for you?” (Mark Tyrell)

The act of choosing to positively reframe our individual behaviors offers more effective motivation to grow environments that promote and encourage overall community health.

Consider with me how taking time to personally reframe could create wellness where you live, work, play, and learn.

Wellness Wednesday tip

Positive attitudes are just as contagious as negative ones … choose wisely what you grow more of!