Vibrant Habit #18
I have a superpower. It didn’t come to me through radiation, exposure to extraterrestrial objects, magical artifacts, bites from a magical creature, and I certainly wasn’t born with it. I actually had to fight against myself to develop this power and I won… and lost, I guess, since I was fighting myself. I really wanted to be Wonder Woman and harness the power of the Lasso of Truth and fly an invisible jet, but I settled for mind control. Yes ladies, I can control my own mind. Here is my origin story…
Ever since I was a little girl, I walked this earth telling myself these nasty little villainous lies: I’m not good enough. I won’t fail if I don’t try. I give up, it’s too frustrating. That’s outside of my comfort zone. I’m too old to do that. I could never talk in public… faint. And my two favorites… IT IS WHAT IT IS and I CAN’T CHANGE WHO I AM. Can you relate to any of these mind-numbing, life-limiting thoughts? I decided I wanted to give them the ol’ WHAM, BOOM, POW!
I realized that I was working with a fixed mindset. I assumed my abilities and understandings were relatively set. Those with a fixed mindset (like me in my life before my superpower) may not believe that intelligence can be enhanced, or think that you either “have it or you don’t” when it comes to abilities and talents. This can lead to hiding flaws and mistakes, feeling ashamed about “failures,” giving up easily, and being unmotivated to strive for, or achieve goals.
On the flip side, a growth mindset means that you believe your intelligence and talents can be developed over time and can be improved through effort, learning, and persistence. Those with a growth mindset understand that not knowing or not being good at something can be a temporary state - so they don’t have to feel ashamed or try to prove they’re smarter than they currently are. This can lead to embracing flaws and mistakes as opportunities for growth, accepting setbacks as part of the learning process, and feeling empowered to reach goals. KAPOW!
Your newest vibrant habit is to notice what type of mindset you have. If you have a predominantly fixed mindset, don’t fret. Studies have shown that a fixed mindset can slowly develop into a growth mindset! If you have a negative inner voice that acts against a growth mindset, try to flip thoughts such as ‘I can’t do this’, to ‘I can do this if I keep practicing’ and ‘It is what it is’ to ‘Does it have to be this way?’ This will help nurture a growth mindset. As you practice this transformational self-talk, also think about slowly stepping out of your comfort zone. I said I would never scuba dive, ever, period. I’ve since dived in the darkness of night and with sharks! I thought I was too old to find a new job that I would enjoy. Now I’m living my purpose and driven by my mission to help women over 50! You can also slowly try to accept setbacks (I don’t consider them failures) as important feedback. I have daily setbacks and I use them as opportunities to learn and grow and achieve my goals.
Let me know if I helped you change your mind about your mindset… because my ultimate goal is to control the minds of others… Muhahaha!
