Waking up on the wrong side of the bed can ruin your day.
But it might help to think back on how you woke up from a different perspective.
Some therapists refer to it as “retrospective judgment.”
It’s about reframing your negative memories.
As Barker puts it, it “literally gives them a story they can live with.”
Basically, you reevaluate events from a place of optimism.
It’s about extracting something positive from something that makes you feel unpleasant.
Think about a breakup.
You’re resentful, bitter, and angry.
You grew, and you now have a better idea of what you want in a relationship.
That attitude is probably healthier for your overall well-being.
Retrospective judgment seems to work in the same way.
It’s not about changing the facts.
It’s about changing how you choose to perceive them.
It’s not about ignoring what happened.
It’s about fully considering it from all angles.
It sounds cheesy, but in doing this, it helps to simply consider the silver lining.
But go beyond thatmake that silver lining the focus of what you remember about the experience.
But it could be a useful option if you want to shed some of the pessimism.
For more detail, check out Barker’s full post.
