Now that I am in my 40's I have been around the block a time or 12. I have learned many life lessons, usually the hard way. Experience is the best teacher after all. Today I want to share some of the Life Lessons I have learned that have helped me to have a Growth Mindset.
Life Lessons Learned for a Growth Mindset
Energy is Created. You are not going to get more energy by laying around (unless you are sick and need the rest to recover) You get more energy by being active. Exercising creates endorphins and increases blood flow in the short term. Exercise has been shown to have major long term benefits as well. So does this mean you have to be a marathon runner? Absolutely not, unless that's your jam. It means that if you're not feeling energetic, stretch, go for a walk outside, put on some music and have a kitchen dance party. Do something to move and get your heart pumping and you will have more energy.
We all struggle with something. It is true. We all have things we struggle with and have to find ways to manage it. You may struggle with depression, diabetes or heart disease while I struggle with anxiety. If you are diabetic, you have to watch your sugar intake. If you struggle with anxiety you have to watch your thoughts. Everyone has something they have to manage. No one is exempt from this. But by the same token it is your job to manage the things you struggle with.
Thoughts are not facts. Just because we think something does not necessarily make it true. Most of the time we have "stories" in our minds about our lives and the people around us. We think we know what they're thinking and we think we know how things will turn out. This gets us in to trouble because when we act as if we already know the outcome, we are not learning and growing. Nor are we able to listen to others.
What others think about you is none of your business. This quote by Deepak Chopra is very freeing. As humans we want to be a part of the tribe. It is ingrained in us to look for belonging. But that need can become harmful when we care more about what others think of us than how we care about ourselves. When we live our lives trying to please the people around us, we only live a part of our life. And it does not work. Other people have their own perceptions, thoughts, life experiences and feelings and they are in charge of that. We are in charge of us.
Give people the benefit of the doubt. Being generous with our thoughts of others will always benefit us. Now some would argue that is a way to be taken advantage of. I am not suggesting that we leave our homes unlocked and leave our wallets at the grocery store. I am only saying that when possible, always think kindly of the people around you. That means if someone cuts us off in traffic, if we say that they're having a bad day and didn't mean to (or my personal favorite that they needed to go to the bathroom really bad) it makes sense they could make a driving error. And also, how many times have we each made driving errors?
Be grateful. One of the most powerful ways to rewire your brain is to be grateful. I have talked about this many times before but I keep talking about it because while it's so easy to do, it is also so easy to forget. Practicing gratitude has far reaching effects, from improving our mental health to boosting our relationships with others
The world is working in your favor if you look for it. I heard an interesting quote the other day. It said, "Foster the belief that the universe is always working in your favor." I loved that quote and have found that the best way to do that is to keep track of it. And you know what - the universe IS working in my favor and it can work in your favor too. That belief shifts your mindset and helps you to notice things and reframe them in ways you hadn't before. I keep a list in Notes on my phone of all the ways that good things are always happening to me.
Dream BIG and go for it! When kids are growing up, they have the biggest dreams. They want to be astronauts, figure skaters and NFL football players. And then we all grow up and settle for ho hum lives. Well, enough of that. Dream big. Grab your journal and write down all of the things you wish you had time for, had the money for and had the energy for. Then go through that list and pick out something to work on. For example- I have wanted to update my kitchen for years since it is small and lacks counterspace. So I decided to go for it. I made a new pantry in a near by closet and tore out the old pantry. Had I even done a project like this before? Did I know what I was doing? No and no. But I figured the worst that could happen would be that I would have to call someone to come fix something I'd messed up. Well guess what, nothing bad happened. I did have to ask a friend for some help, but for the most part I did the removal myself. I am currently in the process of fixing the walls and then will paint, install a new cabinet, install new countertops and then decided what I'll do above the counters.
You are the only one you can change. The only person you can actually change is yourself. You can influence others, you can make requests of others but you cannot actually change them. The good news is that you always have the power to make change in your life because you can either change your circumstances or you can change the way you think about them.
Take care of yourself - it's no one else's job to take care of you. It is your job to make sure your needs are being met. Get exercise, get enough rest, eat good food and drink lots of water. Don't forget to get your hair done, get dressed every day, manage your thoughts, do something creative, dream big, work on changing you, that way you can love others, give them the benefit of the doubt and see how the world is always working for your good.
These are some of the many Life Lessons I have learned to help with a Growth Mindset.
