The most powerful tool available to humans is our brain. Our human brains have achieved more than our hominid ancestors could ever imagine. Could it be possible that the power of our brains is embedded in our ability to reframe any situation? This power has been notoriously used for both good and bad. Let’s take the holidays for example. To some, the holidays are shaped by the sweet smell of Christmas trees, the glowing lights, and cheery voices found throughout holiday carolers; an overall feeling of warmth and belonging. On the other hand, some only see the inconvenience of crowds and traffic, the difficulty in coordinating with family, and the overall the sense of superficial belonging making one feel even more lonely. Many of these perspectives are shaped by one’s childhood and upbringing, giving the brain the power to perceive the holidays as a pleasant or unpleasant experience. It’s fascinating to realize that it is the power of the perspective that determines whether one enjoys the holidays.                

Clearly, the perspective one takes determines the experience of any situation; this is where the power of reframing one’s perspective can take place. One can use this power of reframe to get through many difficult situations associated with the holidays. Specifically, reframing is a cognitive technique that changes the initial perspective determined by experiences. Using an example of traffic, instead of becoming increasingly frustrated about the traffic trapping all the cars from getting to their destination, one could look at it as an opportunity to practice anger management. Looking at inconveniences as an opportunity to calm oneself can have benefits beyond that moment and can lead to building the skills to dealing with worse inconveniences. Continuing the theme of reframe, family arguments become opportunities for resolution and building connection. Every situation could have a negative and a positive side, and it takes practice to learn to see the positive side, as well as appreciating the contributions of the experience. Who would have thought that rose colored glasses would be a superpower rather than a naive perspective on the world?