The tricky part about changing your mindset isn’t changing the way you think, but getting yourself out of your own way so you can change the way you think. It may sound contradictory, but it’s true; to really change the way we think and act, we first have to change our habits and rituals that keep us in our old ways.
Our thoughts create our reality
People often think about their thoughts as being random and uncontrollable, but the truth is that our thoughts are powerful. Our thoughts become reality. If we have a goal of starting a business, for example, but we're constantly thinking about how hard it's going to be or how much time it will take--that kind of negative thinking can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
We don't even get started because our mind says it's not worth it. The same goes with relationships: If we tell ourselves over and over again that someone doesn't love us, they never will, they left us, they'll always hurt us--eventually what we're telling ourselves becomes true.
But if we start focusing on all the things that make us happy in this person, instead of all the reasons why he/she might not be good enough for us--this mindset change has a positive effect on our relationship. When I was younger, I would allow myself to feel sorry for myself when I would meet people who were wealthier than me or better looking than me.
We must take responsibility for them
It's all too easy to focus on the negative and let it hold you back from pursuing your dreams. But if you want to be successful, then this is something that you need to work on. You have to take responsibility for what has been holding you back and get out of your own way. The sooner you do this, the better off you'll be in your pursuit of success.
What are some things you can start doing today to change your mindset?
Here are a few ideas:
Give yourself permission to make mistakes so you can learn from them and grow as an individual
Find people who are supportive, rather than judgmental
Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems
Take time every day for self-care.
Take care of your physical health by eating well and exercising regularly, while taking care of your mental health by practicing mindfulness techniques and meditating every day.
If you want to achieve success, there will be times when you will feel down or discouraged. Those feelings don't last forever and they won't stop you from achieving what you really want out of life.
Identifying limiting beliefs
It's not just our thoughts that can prevent us from achieving our goals. Once you identify your limiting beliefs, you can work to change them so that they don't hold you back any longer.
Here are a few examples of limiting beliefs:
I'm not good enough
I'll never be successful at this
This is too hard
Changing these types of thoughts will help you take on new challenges and make progress in your life. For example, if you think I'm not good enough, try thinking I have some skills and knowledge to offer. If you find yourself thinking, this is too hard remind yourself that nothing worth doing is easy. The first step to getting out of your own way is being aware of what could stop you from achieving your goals. The next steps are making changes to those limiting beliefs so that they don't affect your motivation or self-confidence anymore.
You can do this by replacing old thoughts with more realistic ones and changing the perspective you see things from. These are simple ways that anyone can get started on taking control over their mindset, which will give them the best chance for success.
Conclusion
While there are no guarantees for success, by changing your mindset and getting out of your own way you can be better prepared to achieve success when it comes around. If you keep working at it and never give up, chances are that you’ll eventually find a solution that works for you. I hope you enjoyed reading about how to change your mindset and get out of your own way.
Here at Blue Oak Counseling we’re more than happy to help you and create change in your life. We even have online and virtual/phone counseling available for some states. Schedule a free consultation