This week’s The ZONE is a continuation to last week’s content about Cognitive Reframing/Restructuring. This concept is useful when we recognize how our thoughts and beliefs affect our emotional states, physical conditions, and behaviors.

We have found it useful to view this concept as the A-B-C theory. The “A” is the Activating Event, the “B” is the Belief about the activating event and the “C” is the Consequence. For example, the “A” can be eating three pieces of pie or more on Thanksgiving Day which is typically a day of celebration. The “B” may be that because I over ate, I am a terrible, glutenous, irresponsible, bad person. The “C” is, we feel stressed and terrible about ourselves for the rest of the day and beyond. The beliefs about the activating event (A) are what make it stressful. Another way to frame our belief (B) is, on this day of celebration, I choose to embrace the creation of these pies and other foods that reflect the love and traditions of our family and, the consequence (C) may be the feeling of joy and less stress.

The implementation of Cognitive Reframing/Restructuring includes awareness and change. Awareness involves learning to recognize the negative and automatic thoughts and, dysfunctional beliefs and noting how these thoughts and beliefs affect our emotional states, physical conditions and behaviors. The change involves becoming aware of this cycle of events and then, if we choose, it is possible to restructure some of the automatic thoughts which will serve to change the way we think, feel, and our behaviors.