As we enter the New Year, what would happen to your business, your performance, or your life if you could shift your perspective in a way that led to powerful – maybe even amazing – results? (And no, this doesn’t require chanting or a dramatic retreat in the mountains… unless you’re into that.)

“Every picture tells a story, don’t it…”
~ Rod Stewart

I know an artist. Not just any artist – an amazing one. And yes, I’m biased… but she also happens to be my wife. She has an uncanny ability to see what works, what doesn’t, and what still needs “just one more little thing.”

I watch her in her studio take an idea and a blank canvas and, over time, turn it into something magical (VictorianNoel). After what feels like roughly a zillion hours of work, she finally shows me what I’m sure is the finished piece. I tell her, very confidently, “It’s ready. Let’s put it out into the world.”

That’s when she says, “It’s not finished yet. It needs a frame.”

Naturally, I offer to run to the art store and grab one quickly – because how hard could that be?

“No,” she says. “Picking the right frame makes all the difference in the world.”

And, once again, she is right. (She’s right a lot. I’ve learned to pace myself emotionally.)

The right frame can make the artwork look… fine. Or it can make it pop, come alive, and practically shout, Look at me!

The frame matters.

And not just in art. It matters in every area of life. How we frame what we see – and what we tell ourselves about what we see – can change everything.

In fact, an eight-year Harvard University study confirmed just how powerful framing really is. Researchers followed 30,000 people who reported having high levels of stress. That group had a 43% higher risk of dying prematurely.

Yikes.

But here’s the twist.

That increased risk only applied to people who believed their stress was bad for them. The people who didn’t buy into the story of “this stress is killing me” actually had the lowest risk of dying – even though they were just as stressed.

The conclusion? It’s not just stress itself that does the damage. It’s how we frame it. Or, as the study put it: Your mindset about stress may be the most important predictor of how it affects you.

In other words, it’s not just what happens to us – it’s the story we tell ourselves about what’s happening.

And this shows up everywhere: our health, our business, and our creative work.

Here are a few real-life examples from my coaching clients who simply changed the frame:

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Situation: A manager at a professional services firm is asked to give more presentations to win new business.

• Frame #1: “I hate public speaking. I’m terrible at it. I’m going to look foolish.”
• Frame #2: “I’m choosing to build new skills and face my fears. I may never be a TED speaker, but I can get better.”

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Situation: A writer feels stuck and hasn’t written in weeks.

• Frame #1: “Writing is so hard. Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe my family was right and I should get a ‘real’ job.”
• Frame #2: “Today, I’m just going to write. It doesn’t have to be good. Writers write – and today, I’m writing.”

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Situation: A woodwind player is preparing for a solo recital.

• Frame #1: “What if I freeze on stage like before? I can already see myself blowing it.”
• Frame #2: “A little anxiety can actually help me perform better. I’ll use my breathing and focus on giving the performance of my life.”

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Situation: A person with social anxiety is feeling anxious about an upcoming social event at her church.

• Frame #1: “What if I am not interesting enough and I don’t know what to say? I can already see myself looking stupid.”
• Frame #2: “I am going to practice being present and in the moment. I can learn to breathe slowly if I feel stressed and quiet my critical inner voice.”

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If you want to change the picture, change the frame.

The next time you feel stressed, discouraged, or unsure how things will turn out, pause for a moment and choose a new frame. You don’t have to deny reality – just stop telling yourself the scariest story possible!

Because the frame you choose really does make all the difference in the world.

So let me ask you: where could a new frame help right now? A relationship? A project? Or that running negative commentary in your head that could use a rewrite.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can email me at nick@drnicklazaris.com.