The flight was massively delayed, and, as happens when plans are derailed, everyone was frustrated. Leo was particularly distraught. He tapped his foot and answered his seatmate Sue’s polite inquiries in abrupt monosyllables. Sue, who sat between Leo and her husband, Max, thought that Leo seemed rude and self-involved. A warm, grandmotherly type herself, Sue was somewhat offended and more than a little put off by Leo’s behavior.
Their trio was stuck in this awkwardness until a silver-haired lady, a fellow passenger, started making off-putting predictions about the age and cause of death of fellow passengers. Jarred by this disturbing behavior, Leo's honesty about what was bothering him became a turning point. His daughter was the lead in a play that evening, and because of the delayed flight, he was missing it and letting her down. Upon learning the truth, Sue immediately changed her beliefs surrounding Leo and felt empathy for him, highlighting the value of reframing beliefs.
Beliefs deeply impact thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Reframing beliefs is an effective way to improve feelings. The ABC Model, a powerful tool used in rational emotive behavioral therapy, empowers individuals to reframe their beliefs and emotions.
Here is the ABC Model:
A – Activating Event: What happened?
B – Beliefs Surrounding Event: What were your interpretations or beliefs about what happened?
C – Emotional Consequences: What feelings and behaviors did you experience as a result of your interpretation of what happened?
D – Dispute: Try challenging your beliefs and reframing from negative to adaptive. Some questions to try include: Are there other potential interpretations? How would you see the situation if you adopted a different perspective? Use the dispute to try out adaptive beliefs.
E – New Emotional Consequences: What new feelings and behaviors arise when you adopt more adaptive beliefs? These are likely healthier consequences than the round 1 consequences above.
Thank you to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for giving me access to view this ARC.