You make your goals and are all set to accomplish them. You have your daily journal set to go and even bought a flashy new pen to go with it. You're gung ho for this success to happen but then....wait. A wrench is thrown into your plans. You didn't get that job you interviewed for. You came home after work instead of hitting the gym. You messed up the deadline date and are now out of the running. You fell off the sugar-free wagon this week.
Too many of us fall down the disappointment, guilt, shame, failure hole and throw away our goal setting plans. "What's the point of picking up and getting back on track? You'll just fail again." This is a negative mindset. A negative mindset keeps you on the hamster wheel of gloom, misery, shadows, and expectation of failure.
Every person has their own unique definition of success whether it's accomplishing something physical, a state of mind, or moving up on the ladder at work. It could even be a feeling they strive for.
What if I were to tell you that, in order to achieve your goals, you need a positive mindset? One that shifts from the disappointment and instead, focuses on how you could do better next time. How this one fault won't ruin your journey to success. How you can indeed, fall off the wagon but know you're going to bounce back and keep trucking along. What if I told you that you can retrain your thoughts to a success-driven, positive, and achieving mindset?
Think small. Small adjustments in your daily life (versus big changes) will provide lasting habits to be instilled.
Here are 10 simple ways to shift your mindset for success and change your life:
1. Journal - every morning, set aside 5-10 minutes to jot down how you see your day going. Write it out as if it's already happened. You've already secured that new job, asked that girl out, or finished a banging workout. Feel it. Believe it. Smile as if you've already accomplished it.
2. Self Care - self care should be incorporated into your life EVERY week. How can you possibly achieve your goals or be present for your family when you aren't taking care of yourself? Self-care may be getting a massage or having an acupuncture session, attending yoga class, quality time with a good friend, having a hot bath, or even joining a class. Make time for your hobbies. Get back to what makes you happy.
Task: make a list of what makes you happy. Your hobbies. Think back to a time when you were happiest in your life and what you were doing that made you happy.
3. Be mindful - Yes, you most likely hear this all the time. It works! It makes you stop, listen, smell, and take in the moments around you. Notice the soft curve of your child's lips as you play a game with them, listen to the leaves rustling as you walk home from work, smell the tantalizing aromas wafting in from the kitchen as dinner is being prepared. Being mindful means eliminating your thoughts, worries, and to-do list. Instead, focus on what the world is doing around you.
Task : set an alarm 3 times daily to take notice of these things. Keep a journal and write them down.
4. Write down all the obstacles plaguing you right now. The list may be long or as short as 3 items. It doesn't matter. These are things adding stress and worry. They drag you down and shift your mindset to one of negativity and defeat. Once you create this list, jot down how you will over come these hurdles. Ex: Obstacle: no time to exercise. Solution: wake up 45 minutes earlier and do it then. Go for a walk or workout during lunch hour. Involve the kids and exercise with them. Set aside 3 days weekly where you get a sitter and get to the gym. Treat it as if it's an appointment.
5. End the day on a top note. Think or jot down the 5-10 things you are grateful for or positive things that happened to you that day. Even on a day where you spill coffee on your lap, couldn't get parking, or missed your bus, there are still slivers of positives. Did someone hold the door for you? Was the elevator on the bottom floor when you approached it? Was the gym empty so you got the place to yourself? Did your kids bring their plates in after eating? Look for the sliver of positives and be grateful for them.
6. Sticky them. Take 10 sticky notes. On each one write a quality you have that is positive. Think of what others tell you about yourself. Are you funny, helpful, genuine, and focused? You can even write specific times you helped someone or a word for word compliment you received. Stick them where you spend a lot of your time. Your office wall, bathroom mirror, or desk are great places. Read them daily. It takes 21 days to engrain new thoughts/habits. Keep at it!
7. Invasion of the negative. When faced with negative thoughts or people, be prepared to shut them down. Allowing gossip or negative self-talk to invade your positive efforts needs to go. When a negative thought enters your mind, turn it around. 'I'm not going to ace that job interview' - 'oh yes you are. You are highly qualified and have just as much of a chance, if not better, than anyone else applying. Get out of here negative thoughts!' You can make it funny as you shoo your thoughts away or physically flick them away around you. Pop them like bubbles and watch them seep into the floor. Set boundaries with negative people. Don't be afraid to tell them you don't want to hear the latest gossip or simply, ask to change the subject.
8. Hire a life coach. Life coaches are the support in the vehicle of life you're travelling in. They're there to help you dig into where these negative mindset thoughts stem from and reroute them down a positive path. Having a life coach in your corner has proven to increase productivity, positive mindset, and accomplishment of goals. Go from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset with the help of a life coach. Ask me for a complimentary session!
9. Sleep and diet. What happens when we haven't slept well and we're on a blood sugar rollercoaster? Usually we feel less patient, more irritable, and negative. Ensuring you have a healthy sleep routine and balanced diet will set you up for success in your outlook on life.
10. Digital detox. The increase of screen time and product being advertised has been shown to negatively impact production, self-esteem, and mindset. The flashy screens of perfect lives, perfect jobs, and perfect everything will leave anyone feeling less than stellar if they are in the habit of comparing. Most people are. Comparing your life to one that is exaggerated online leaves only space for a mindset of 'not good enough' or defeat. Reduce screen time, get outdoors more often, and be selective of what you read, watch, and which groups you join on social media.
Task: delete 3 social media accounts right now that suck your positive energy right out of you. This may be a group, person, or advertisement.
for a complimentary discovery session. Let's get you going in the right direction to success!