Growth mindset, y’all… just keep practicing. Practice improves things applies to everything in life, being human *IS* an exercise in practicing!
I never learned growth mindset until my mid-late thirties…before that I was struggling in a sea of lack, trying to keep my head above water. Growth mindset isn’t about forced, applied positivity…it is about clarity, observation, small shifts in perspective and action, being kind/rephrasing self-judgment, and continuing to practice *until*…even if you want to quit.
The simplest shift in thought that helped me change my mindset from lack to growth is this:
WHEN I notice I’m feeling defeated, frustrated, DONE, or uncomfortable in some way or that my thoughts are negative (because this happens! it is not about MAGICALLY NOT having these moments, it is about NOTICING them)…I feel what I feel for a (limited) period of time (because boundaries help me not sink into old emotions or patterns)…THEN I apply the term ‘YET’ in some way.
“This isn’t working…YET”, “I’m not good enough…YET”…
Sometimes rephrasing is necessary:
“I never finish what I start”…rephrase to “I haven’t finished YET” or “I always screw things up”…rephrase to “I haven’t screwed it up YET…so I’ll keep going!”
It isn’t the perfect way, and your rephrases can be made to suit YOU; I prefer truthful, understated phrases that I can wrap my beliefs around…but find what works for you, or ask for help! If you need help shifting mindset or rephrasing your inner critic that stops you, let’s chat…just leave a comment or send a message
(P.S. this doesn’t mean quitting is ALL bad, sometimes it is healthy to stop and move on! This message is about not giving up on YOU, your dreams, or your path/passion/purpose)
P.S. I grew up with this image (see below) on my refrigerator…my dad made sure to point at it regularly and tell me to be like the frog and “NEVER give up”. His advice and my drive to survive are what kept me from throwing in the towel through the worst of the adverse circumstances I experienced in my childhood, and what kept me alive when depression/anxiety ruled me/my life in my twenties…I hope that no matter how uncertain, painful, or awful things are you will remember that something better will come if you just keep swimming…
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