What do you want this to mean?
Choose meanings that fit your values, goals, and who you want to be.
Every event can hold many different meanings. Pause for a moment, and ask yourself:
🤔 What do I want this to mean?
Sometimes we automatically give events meanings that hold us back. But we can learn to explore more supportive perspectives, ones that help us grow and stay grounded in what matters. By intentionally choosing the meaning we want something to have, we move from reacting to shaping. What we want something to mean depends on what we care about, our values, goals, and the kind of person we want to be. That meaning shapes how we feel and what we do. A more positive interpretation can stop difficult emotions from taking over and make it easier to build the life we want to live.
For example, if a friend cancels plans at the last minute, we might first take it to mean we’re not important. But if staying connected is something we truly value, we might choose to see it as a sign they’re overwhelmed and reach out with care instead of pulling away. When we receive critical feedback at work, we might interpret it as not being good enough. Instead, we can choose to see it as useful information that helps us improve and grow. Struggling to keep a habit might feel like a lack of willpower. But if becoming a more disciplined person matters to us, we can choose to see these struggles as a chance to learn what works and keep improving instead of giving up.
Choosing the meaning we give something is like being the author of our own story or the director of our own movie. We decide how to frame what happens and what comes next.
Choosing how we see something starts with noticing how we’re interpreting the situation now. Then we pause to create space for reflection. We ask ourselves what else it could mean and which of those meanings supports our values, goals, or the kind of person we want to be. Finally, we choose the meaning that will best help us move forward in a way that matters to us. This isn’t always easy. Our minds often hold on to old interpretations, especially when we’ve believed a story for a long time. But with practice, it gets easier to choose meanings that help us grow.
The meaning you choose guides how you move forward. Take a moment and ask:
🤔 What do I want this to mean?
