ITM Wellness O’clock: How can looking at your situation differently help you move forward?

May 17

Written By Inside The Metro PR and Marketing

Feeling Stuck? Your Mind Might Need More Options

We all go through problems, disappointments, and stressful moments in life. Sometimes, when things do not go the way we expected, our mind can get stuck in one way of thinking.

We start telling ourselves:

“Wala nang solution.”

“Failure na agad.”

“Hindi ko na kaya.”

When we are overwhelmed, our brain naturally focuses too much on the problem. It becomes harder to see other perspectives, options, or possibilities. This can make stress feel even heavier.

This is why cognitive flexibility is important.

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to adjust our thinking, look at situations from different perspectives, and adapt when things do not go as planned. Instead of getting trapped in one interpretation, we learn to create space for other possibilities.

For young working professionals, this can happen in very normal situations.

For example:

You worked hard on a presentation, but your manager suddenly asks you to revise it the night before the deadline.

Your first thoughts might be:

“Hindi na-appreciate effort ko.”

“Hindi ako magaling.”

“Sayang lahat ng ginawa ko.”

These reactions are understandable. But when we stay stuck in one interpretation, we become more frustrated, discouraged, or emotionally drained.

Flexible thinking helps us pause and consider:

Maybe the revisions are meant to improve the project.

Maybe the manager is also under pressure.

Maybe this is an opportunity to strengthen the work further.

It does not mean ignoring your emotions or forcing yourself to be positive. It simply means reminding yourself that there may be more than one way to understand the situation.

Here are 3 simple ways to practice flexible thinking in daily life:

1. The “More Than One Way” Technique

When stressed, we often think there is only one solution or one possible outcome.

Pause and ask yourself:

“What are 3 possible ways I can respond to this?”
“What else can I do aside from my first reaction?”

Example:

You made a mistake at work.
Your stressed mind says: "Nakakahiya. Ayoko na pumasok."
Flexible thinking says:
I can apologize and clarify.
I can ask for guidance.
I can learn from this and improve next time.

Sometimes we do not need the perfect answer immediately. We just need to remember that we still have choices.

2. The “Bigger Picture” Technique

When overwhelmed, we tend to focus too closely on one problem until it feels bigger than everything else.

Ask yourself:

“Will this matter next month?”
“What would I say to a friend in the same situation?”
“Is this one moment defining my whole life?”

Example:

You got left on read in a work group chat.
Your mind says: "Baka ayaw nila sakin."
Looking at the bigger picture can remind you:
People are busy.
Messages get missed.
One interaction does not define your value.

Sometimes we need to mentally step back before reacting emotionally.

3. The “Different Angle” Technique

Try viewing the situation from another perspective.

Ask yourself:

“How would another person see this?”
“What would my future self say about this?”
“Is there something I can learn here?”

Example:

Your plans did not work out.
Your mind says: "Failure na agad."

A different perspective could be:

“Maybe I need a different approach.”
“Maybe this is part of the learning process.”
“Maybe this redirection is helping me grow.”

Different perspectives can help us feel less trapped and more capable of handling challenges.

Flexible thinking is not about pretending everything is okay.

It is about helping ourselves move away from getting stuck in one painful thought and reminding ourselves that there may still be other ways forward.