In an increasingly unpredictable world, many people are adopting a new approach to managing life’s stressors: reframing reality. The internet has coined it “delulu”, a shorthand for being delightfully delusional, but beneath the memes and playful exaggeration lies a real and intentional effort to protect mental health. It’s not about ignoring reality; it’s about shaping your experience of it in a way that supports emotional resilience.
Reframing doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means making conscious choices to engage with life in a way that supports your wellbeing. Small mental shifts and intentional actions can create real change in how you experience your day-to-day reality.
Build Positivity Into the Way You Learn
Learning, for many, feels like a chore, something to get through, rather than something to enjoy. But building a positive mindset around learning can make a significant difference in both motivation and mental wellbeing. When you approach learning with curiosity and a sense of personal investment, it becomes easier to stay focused and feel accomplished.
Tools like flashcards can help break complex information into manageable chunks, turning study sessions into rewarding experiences rather than overwhelming tasks. The key is to reframe the process: instead of seeing learning as a duty, view it as an opportunity for growth. Positivity, even when it’s effortful, can transform how information is absorbed, and how confident you feel navigating new challenges.
Teach Your Body to Feel Safe
Your body responds to perceived threats, whether they come from actual danger or a stressful workday. It can’t always tell the difference. This is why chronic stress can feel so all-consuming. From minor daily frustrations to larger emotional burdens, stress accumulates, and it takes a toll on both physical and mental health.
It’s important to regularly signal to your nervous system that you are safe. Deep breathing exercises, time outdoors, and gentle movement like walking or restorative yoga can all support this. Many also find value in calming supplements. Brands like CBDistillery offer gummies that provide a sense of calm without affecting mental clarity. These tools aren’t cures, but they can support your efforts to regulate stress and keep your mind steady in the face of everyday challenges.
Escapism Can Be a Tool for Mental Resilience
In difficult times, escaping into a book, show, or daydream isn’t always avoidance, it can be strategy. Psychological studies have shown that immersive storytelling helps the nervous system settle, offering relief from heightened emotional states.
Engaging with media like K-dramas, for instance, offers a structured narrative with emotional resolution, something our real lives often lack. Articles such as why K-dramas are great for your mental health explore how fictional stories can serve as emotional outlets and sources of comfort. When used intentionally, escapism provides perspective, reduces stress, and may even improve emotional regulation.
The Bottom Line: Reframe, Don’t Deny
There’s strength in choosing how you experience life. Reframing reality isn’t a denial of truth, it’s a way of protecting your energy and investing in your mental health. Whether it’s building positive habits into your learning, calming your nervous system, or taking intentional brain breaks, these approaches are grounded in a desire to cope better, live more fully, and face challenges with clarity.
Optimism isn’t naive. It’s a discipline. One that, with the right tools and mindset, can offer real mental health benefits.
