REFRAMING IN THE SEASON OF CHANGE

The arrival of fall brings a shift in perspective. Long summer days fade, the air turns crisp, and the landscape glows gold, red, and orange. What might look like the “end” of summer is also the beginning of something new, a season with its own beauty and lessons.

This change offers a powerful metaphor for leadership and life: the ability to reframe. Reframing means shifting how we interpret challenges or endings, choosing a different lens to uncover growth.

Dr. Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset shows that our beliefs about learning shape our success. A fixed mindset says, “This did not work, so I failed.” A growth mindset says, “This did not work, so I learned something.” That small shift changes everything.

Fall embodies this truth. Harvest is not the end of growth; it is the time to gather lessons, celebrate progress, and prepare the soil for what comes next. Falling leaves are not loss, they become nourishment for the future.

Practices for Reframing This Season

• Ask, “Why did this happen for me, rather than to me?” to move from victimhood to empowerment.

• Harvest lessons, not just results. Let this year’s insights be seeds for what comes next.

• Lead with curiosity. When challenges arise, ask, “What did we learn? How might this help us grow?”

The changing leaves remind us that what seems like an ending often holds the beginning of something new. This season, reframe one challenge in your life or work. What shifts if you see it as an opportunity instead of an obstacle?