Episode 18: “Lost” vs “Disconnected”—Reframe to Reconnect (Quick Bite)

Do you ever feel like you’ve “lost it” or “fallen off track”? That binary thinking keeps you stuck in shame and self-judgment. In this Quick Bite, Alyssia Sheikh shares a powerful mindfulness reframe—shifting from “I’m lost” to “I’ve disconnected.” Because if you’ve disconnected, you can always reconnect. 

Drawing on her own journey with perfectionism and disordered patterns of “on/off” thinking, Alyssia reveals how language shapes our emotions, our motivation, and our capacity to return to presence. Backed by research on cognitive reframing and self-compassion, this short episode reminds you that awareness is always available—no matter how long you’ve been away. Includes a bonus sound-anchored meditation to help you practice coming home to yourself. 

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How “lost” language fuels all-or-nothing thinking and shame
• The simple word swap that creates fluidity and self-compassion
• Why your brain loves binaries (and how to break them)
• The science of cognitive reframing and why language shapes emotion
• A guided practice to help you reconnect right now 

💭 Reflection: Where in your life do you say you’re “off track” or “lost”? Try replacing that with “I’ve disconnected.” Notice how your body softens when you do.

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• YouTube: Alyssia Sheikh
• Email me: [email protected]
• Call our hotline and leave a voicemail! (213) 632-9972‬
• Book a Self-Trust Session with Alyssia

• The Hoffman Institute (Alyssia is a Hoffman Process teacher; podcast is not affiliated)

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Lindquist, K. A. (2015). The role of language in emotion: Predictions from psychological science. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1254–1266.
  → https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4396134/
  (Reviews evidence that language helps construct emotion—our words shape how we interpret and experience feelings.)
• Troy, A. S., Shallcross, A. J., & Mauss, I. B. (2017). Cognitive reappraisal and acceptance: Effects on emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 283.
  → https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6188704/
  (Shows that reframing thoughts—“cognitive reappraisal”—reduces negative emotion and increases positive emotion, supporting the power of language and mindset shifts.)
• Wang, Y. X., et al. (2023). A new understanding of the cognitive reappraisal technique. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
  → https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1174585/full
  (Explains that reframing builds new neural schemata, making emotional reconnection more accessible and embodied over time.)