The power of MINDSET and its impact on our wellbeing

The power of MINDSET and its impact on our wellbeing

This week’s Wellbeing Wednesday we take a look at probably the MOST important aspect to making any gains and improvements to our health, both short and long term. We all want to be able to deal with life’s circumstances and overcome setbacks and difficulties, no matter what comes our way! Most of us would like to achieve this in a positive way, “glass half full” as opposed to empty… So which are you? Can you change your frame of mind? Your success OR failure is determined by it…

So, what is Mindset: A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person’s responses to and interpretations of situations.

Your beliefs, shape your reality. Read that again. Developing a mindset is essential for us as humans to adapt and rise to the challenges of life. To build resilience and fortitude.

It influences how you think, FEEL and behave, it’s how you make sense of yourSELF and the WORLD around you. Leading researcher on the subject, Carol Dweck from Stanford University, says your mindset plays a pivotal role in what you want, and if you achieve success or not. Mindset influences HOW we behave (or react) in any given situation. Your assumptions, expectations, the way you SEE yourself and how you COPE in life are all impacted by mindset!

As Captain Jack Sparrow once said…

“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.”

So perhaps you’re reading this and it sounds a little like: oh well I am the way I am so guess I’m just doomed then! Or, It’ll be too hard, I couldn’t turn it around, it’s all too overwhelming… Well guess what??? You can CHANGE your mindset over time, especially if it’s not serving you. A lot of what we do, day to day in our regular lives is done on autopilot, we often pay little attention to how we react and engage. So let’s go a little deeper. There are 2 types of mindsets; fixed, and growth.

A FIXED mindset is more primal and resistant to change, even if new experiences disprove their beliefs. These are people less likely to take chances or believe in their ability to perform better in various aspects of their life.

A GROWTH mindset is more fluid and open to change. These people are less likely to define themselves, and are more likely to embrace challenges from a place of optimism rather than fear.

Here are some examples of each so you can identify them, work on it, and improve your responses and outcomes. Change of mindset begins with awareness.

FIXED: If I don’t try, then I won’t fail… That job position is totally out of my league. That’s just who I am, I can’t change it! Well that’s it, my business failed, I won’t try that again!

GROWTH: I only fail when I stop trying… That job position looks challenging, let me apply for it. I’m a constantly evolving work in progress! Well, my business failed this time, I’ve learned a lot from it, I will keep working on it and try again with a new plan!

So what are some things you could do to begin to change your frame of mind?

Pay attention to your words and thoughts
Stop seeking validation from others to prove your worth
Take on more challenges, and don’t give up on things so easily
Challenge yourself with new experiences and perspectives to improve neuroplasticity
See your stress response as helpful rather than a problem
Break down large tasks into chunks and complete 1 thing at a time
Have a clear intention/direction/goal
Have intense focus, don’t allow yourself to waste time or get distracted
Sustain the effort, for an extended period of time
Identify your motivations, are they coming from envy, desire, fear or love?
Get deep sleep/rest
Practice mindfulness and meditation
Adjust as you go, just keep going!

Self-awareness is at the root of self-mastery – when you want something or want to do something, ask yourself WHY first.

Ever hear the saying; “what you believe you receive”? Well studies have shown that mindset affects physiology. Our mindset therefore is very much connected to the placebo and nocebo effect, which I won’t go much into here, that’s a whole other interesting topic of discussion! Think about professional athletes, they will tell you, protein powders and training aside, it all comes down to building mental strength and resilience, THAT finds you the extra edge to succeed and win the race. (Even if your competitor is, you!)

What I would like to just point out before I close off for today’s post, make sure you’re not burning the candle at both ends! Incorporate restorative practices, self-care rituals, dinner dates and morning sleep in’s into your regular routine. BALANCE is key. Yes YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! It’s also OK to take a day off, eat a pizza and stay in your PJ’s all day! Connect with your heart to know your truth.

There’s a lot more on mindset I could get into, but start here, with this, NOW, take an interest in your health and wellbeing. And remember, it’s about what you DO, not what you HAVE…

Original Blog written by Kirsten-Mia Hickey for The Roaming Yogi.

References:

https://createhealth.com/2019/10/31/the-science-behind-mindset/

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-mindset-2795025

https://bigthink.com/smart-skills/parents-kids-growth-mindset/

https://news.stanford.edu/report/2021/09/15/mindsets-clearing-lens-life/

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_the_placebo_effect_more_powerful_than_we_think

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