No matter how much I learn, grow, and work on having healthy mindsets, there are always situations or moments where it can be a challenge. The holiday season is one of those “situations” and this is just part of life. However, I try to remind myself that if I make the effort to operate from a growth mindset, I can navigate any challenge that comes my way. That is my logical brain reminding me that while I can’t necessarily control the obstacles, I can control my mindset.
Sometimes, my logical brain is off taking a cat nap, which it especially likes to do during the holidays. And naturally, my Inner Saboteur, always the opportunist, finds that window of opportunity to swoop in. Chaos ensues and I end up in a lousy mindset. In these moments, I find myself with two choices:
Option 1
Settle in. Dig deep into that fixed mindset and start the swirl. You know the swirl I’m talking about. It starts off slow, then it starts picking and picking, grabbing every insecurity, bad day, and awkward moment into its path until you’re just a tornado of fixed mindsets and heavy emotions. Score 1 for the Inner Saboteur.
Option 2
Shift. Shift out of that mindset. Voila!
“Oh, okay, never thought of that. That’s easy. I’ll just shift out of that mindset.”
-No One Ever.
“Oh, okay, never thought of that. That’s easy. I’ll just shift out of that mindset.”
-No one ever
I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me, shifting out of a negative or fixed mindset isn’t easy. For a variety of reasons, this is exacerbated for me during this time of year. And of all the non-beneficial mindsets out there, I find it especially difficult to “keep it positive” when that mindset is…
An emotional reaction…
I am feeling…
Based on a meaning…
I have attributed…
To someone else’s words or actions. 🤯 ⚡️ 🧘
I have tried many things like deep breathing, physical cues, and even brief meditation but there has only been one strategy that has worked most consistently for me.
Gratitude.
For those moments when I need to free fall into a growth mindset versus staying stuck in a negative fixed mindset, I practice gratitude. If I’m able to find a morsel of something to be grateful for, I will take it and worship it until my mindset shifts in that different direction. The irony of gratitude actually helping me during the holiday season is not lost on me. But, let’s look an every day example.
Mindset Shift In Practice
Writing is not my favorite activity. Actually, that’s a fixed mindset talking. I enjoy writing, however I am always nervous about putting my words and thoughts out there. So when I take time to write these blog posts or social media posts, it takes a lot of effort to get past my Inner Saboteur and do the actual thing.
When I feel the fixed mindset swirl begin, I try to find my gratitude. Telling myself something like, “I am grateful I am taking the time to write this blog today because it supports my business and personal goals” becomes my focus point and I start to shift. For me, it’s a mindset shift AND a physical shift because I’ll begin to smile and feel a little proud of myself for prioritizing my goals.
So, what works for you when you need to shift your mindset? Do you even need a mindset shift this holiday season? Let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram.