
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson calls his company Seven Bucks Productions because that’s how much money he had in his pocket when he was cut from the Canadian Football League at the age of 23. It was at that moment he decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling, where he quickly became one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history.
Then he became an actor and has been the star of some of the highest-grossing films of the past 20 years.
Johnson attributes his success to the incredible work ethic that his father taught him. As a wrestler, before every match he prayed for “the strength to leave it all in the ring—whether I was wrestling in flea markets or sold-out stadiums.”
That type of dedication and effort begins with a person’s attitude. Johnson recently shared a simple trick that he uses to reframe every situation into a positive experience. He replaces the phrase “I have to” with “I get to.”
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This type of reframing is used by people who practice positive psychology, so Johnson probably didn’t come up with it on his own. But it’s great that he can use his tremendous platform to share it with people who may be unfamiliar.
He shared this simple but powerful advice on his Instagram page.
I’ll share a little philosophy with you guys that’s helped me achieve some success over the years.
When it comes to hard work and things I’m passionate about - years ago, I stopped saying “I have to” and started saying “I get to”.
Big psychological shift on how you approach the daily grind of shit we gotta get done
I “get to” train hard and push myself to the breaking point.
I “get to” get my ass kicked and come back stronger.
I “get to” be the hardest worker in the fucking room.
Because when you “get to” do the things you love - it’s a privilege.
Try switching “have to” to “get to” and start to feel that grind, gratitude & growth.
Johnson’s philosophy doesn’t just work for people who need the motivation to bench press 450 pounds. It can be used to change any situation into something you’re doing begrudgingly to an opportunity for growth. Focusing on the negative aspects of a situation prevents us from seeing opportunities or simply enjoying the moment.
For example, I “have to” write a paper for class can be easily reframed as I “get to” work to improve my writing skills and learn about something new. You could “have to” go to the DMV or you could “get to” spend 45 minutes reading a book while you wait.
Gillian Behnke, founder and CEO of Mom Camp, does a great job explaining the concept for parents on Thrive Global.
“One simple change of a word can help to reframe it and remind you that there is potential benefit in every situation,” she writes. “What might feel like an inconvenient favour at first might actually bring another person joy, and as a result, bring you joy in the process. I get to help someone who needs me.”
This change in perspective is also a way to practice gratitude. Studies show that gratitude opens the door to new relationships, improves psychological health and improves our self-esteem.
So next time you have to do something you dread, take a minute to find a way to reframe it as an opportunity for fun, growth or an opportunity to challenge yourself.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.