Framing: How You See The View In Front of You

Perception and how you see a person, place or thing can be deceiving, but we must know that we are not truly defined by the view, but rather the experience. Framing, according to Dr. Frank Luntz, author of “Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s How People Hear,” brings many answers to today’s society and how we think. Luntz states that sometimes it’s not what you say that matters, but what you don’t say, I often find this to be the case in everyday life. Take, for instance, the use of the words “black people” and “white people” or to some “blacks” and “whites.” While many others prefer to these terms as “African American” rather than “Afro-American” as an option, we must understand that it’s not all true for all people of darker pigmentation. Many “blacks” in this country are not American the trick is finding out how people see themselves. It’s interesting how we respond to particular things in a certain manner, and because of that I have learned that the truth is not always what we seek. Chris Mooney, author of “Breaking The Frame,” suggests that “If the facts don’t fit the frame, it’s the facts that are rejected, not the frame.” In essence the frame never changed, the facts you brought to the frame, needs altering. “How we perceive, ultimately makes a difference.” We may be concerned about the truth; however, the issue is what we perceive as the truth. We use emotions to make sense of the world, and many choices are influenced by our emotions. Framing is all around us every day; deciphering through it, however, is not so easy. I like how Walter Lippmann puts it; He says that “people use mental shortcuts to make sense of the world,” which suggests that “we define first, and then see.” If we can connect new information with already stored information of the world through cues then we sometimes undermine ourselves. Frames allow us to forget certain information and to invent other details because it’s the frame that is now effective in our mind. We have to be careful of pre-conceived notions on any level because its’ not always well and can lead to miss-interpretation. We as people need to be more careful as to what is being presented to us and try our best to make the right decision on how we truly should respond, not how the frame may seem to be, because after all the truth you brought to the table may not be the truth that fits that frame. My challenge is that we all take the time to be more open and un-bias when traveling along this journey of life. We may find that we can understand people, places or things better and can go further in that presented situation, because we took the time to learn who or what we are dealing with, verses a created mental pre-conceived notion to operate in dealing with that person, place or thing. Blessings to you on enhancing how you view the FRAMES of life!

Applying Action to Frustration

Are you Frustrated? Its ok, it’s apart of life in being a normal human on this natural experience, however it must be understood and processed effectively. Ever felt like: Why don’t I have…? When is my turn? Or even “enough is enough,” be it whatever the circumstance or situation is. Well I have a few things I know would help you tremendously. First things first you must understand that if you are frustrated it says more to what you are going through. In order to be frustrated that means you have had to have some sort of investment in that very thing or person you are frustrated with. Frustration does not come out of thin air, but rather with attachment. Now that you understand your frustration derives from an investment its more you must know. The Thought of knowing that you have invested in something leads you to understand that with any investments come expectations. After all investors don’t invest in companies to lose, they invest with hopes of gaining, for them the gain may be monetary. Where as a mother investing positive things in her child expect that her child will grow up to be a productive citizen of society and go on to do something great. All this is true, but you still wonder what’s going on? Because you now understand where your frustration is coming from and why, Good! Now, you must speak. You can do one of two things complain (speaking) or act effectively (speaking). To speak out of concern leads you nowhere but in a worst state than you started out, however speaking with action creates change for even greater positive things to exist. I had the opportunity to hear T.D. Jakes speak on a topic of such and he talks about a story from the bible that I would like to speak briefly on. In that story he talked about how Moses was assigned to lead the people and when Moses went to the rock to speak to it as told, nothing happen he grew frustrated. Moses was already frustrated with the people and felt they already did not deserve God's justification but rather justice as the law permits. Moses miss his mark, because instead of staying focus on the task at hand though frustrated he took it out on the people that help foster such feelings. Learn from that, though you are frustrated don’t take it out on the thing that you have invested so much in, but rather continue to love it, and nurture it. We will have frustrating moments but we now know to speak to the rock which is where our help will come from to deal with the present obstacle of frustration. Blessing to you’ll as you change the way you see your frustration and know that consistency and positive thinking and looking at the overall picture is better than responding to the current frustration. After all if you invested in something you did for great reason!

AMERICA: Anti-Life and Pro-Survival

We live in a country that’s anti-life and pro-survival. I know you ask why sum up the United States like that, well I have my reasons and many other Americans would say the same. In a day in time where we are told to get an education, its okay if you make a mistake, everybody would get their fair share “it’s enough to go around” and so on. However, on the contrary that’s not the reality we live, or at least I can speak for me. Having chased, ran, and sometimes crawled to go after my dreams to live that ultimate American dream I must say I find fault. I graduated three years ago with my Bachelors in Public Relations, and just this past November received my MBA, I can say to you that I have not worked one full time job! I have not worked in my field of study or nowhere near it! But I can say I have had a job at a wing shop; or janitorial cleaning; and even got used by small business owners, who lied just to get quality work and I received little to no money. No, really little to know money or if you consider 200 dollars a month to sustain your life, go figure… Not being an adult with a family you can’t live like that. We survive because this is not living when you don’t have enough to pay this bill or that bill or lead alone able to pay your monthly living expense. When life becomes a bargain as to what will I eat today or should I use this money to put gas in my car, not what I had in mind nine years when I graduated from high school. We survive when we can’t go home to visit family because you either don’t have a job to supply you with the funds to make those life moments happen, or you working and the job won’t give you a break to even spend that time. Yea, I hear you, I know everyone don’t go home for the holidays or understand the essence of working to make life work, hell after all its apart of life. Well, I say to you when it has happen to you for years at a time it becomes a problem, and even family struggling to make it, so you can’t expect help from them. We survive when you are doing everything right and when you look around seems as though everything wrong is affecting you, but the drug dealer, the killers, cons and crocks across the nation are glorified for the living they are doing. What messages is America sending? I mean because I have nothing wrong with the way people are living their life after all its their's, and I've done my fair share throughout my 26 years, but who wants to live evil when good is so rewarding or at least I thought, because that’s what America lead you on to believe?! I want to live and so many other fellow Americans do too. Working your heart out to dedicating all you have to a better tomorrow with aspirations, visions, and big dreams; How do we live? How do we sustain our life and get what we deserve? I have degrees', an arrest record, no convictions, but, yes still no job. I ask this questions to CEO’s, Exec’s, Small business owners, Political leaders, Church leaders, and anyone who is in a position to create positive change for the surviving American. The American who just want to live well, not asking for a handout, many Americans work hard like myself to set themselves up for a better life. The Questions is WHAT DO WE DO? WHO DO WE GET HELP and OPPORTUNITY FROM? AMERICA, oh AMERICA WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU? We believed in YOU; Do you Believe in US?