Changing Your Mindset Can Change Your Future…Let’s Talk About It

To start you off, I would recommend checking out this Ted Talk. This article is going to be discussing the central ideas of what speaker Mary Young advocates. Similar to the popular phrase, What you think, you become, this particular Ted Talk leaves us to reflect on how much our belief systems shape our lives.

Mary, a young entrepreneur, shares her story about regaining ability after a concussion at sixteen years old. She shares a recap of the ten year battle, with the associated physical and mental damages of the injury. Her perseverance allowed her to regain her abilities, as she pushed her mind and body beyond others expectations.

If I haven’t already convinced you to check out her story, I would like to talk about a few important concepts she brings up. The first being the power of mindset. Our beliefs and thoughts shape the way we behave, which shapes our decisions and habits over time. Each new moment is a chance to do something different and our mindset drives how we respond.

A nice quote I came across was this one by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Ralph Waldo Emerson

In one part of the TED clip, Mary says she would speak to the mirror and repeat things back to herself until she believed it. I thought that was an incredibly powerful way for her to take accountability for herself. It’s not until we truly face ourselves that we allow growth to happen.

So what’s your mindset? Do your thoughts come from a place of lack or abundance? How do you look at a challenge? Are you honest with yourself?

The right mindset changes everything because it changes how you look at things. One person may not see opportunity in the same circumstance as someone else would, but when opportunity meets preparedness they call it luck.  Changing your mindset, changes your results.

Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it. — Steve Maraboli

So how do you improve your mindset? Here are a few simple tips.

1. Create A Morning Routine

It is well known that morning routines help pave the way for the rest of the day, and focusing on positivity makes you more intentional with your time. Rather than overcomplicating it or setting the bar too high if you don’t currently have a morning routine, start small. Write down a few things to be grateful for or take a short walk before you start work. Any activity that allows you to start the day with intention rather than jumping to checking emails or scrolling through your notifications.

2. Seek Positive Relationships

It’s like the old saying that goes “you are who you surround yourself with.” A negative social circle can reinforce bad habits, or just leave you feeling drained. This doesn’t mean ditching your old friend group. Instead, try looking for alternative social groups that you can participate in as a way to hold yourself accountable for your goals.

Find people who reflect the values you desire. Join groups online, network, or join local groups  focused on personal growth. As your own perspective starts to change, it’ll become natural to connect with people who have similar goals.

3. Make Small Goals

Setting goals for yourself is always important for self growth and cultivating a more positive mindset. However, when many of us think of what our goals are we think big. Any large goal is really an assignment of hundreds if not thousands of small tasks. Never forget the power of setting small goals to keep you on track. Setting smaller goals for shorter periods of time makes you more flexible and able to adapt if circumstances change. It can also be a much easier way of getting things started rather than becoming paralyzed by the thought of a huge task. Try setting small goals every day and/or week to keep you feeling motivated.

4. Engage in Positive Media

If mainstream news sources aren’t your thing, we now have more opportunities to choose our news. Instead of following or listening to news that makes you feel negative or just uninterested, you can choose podcasts, follow instagram accounts, or look up online publications to discover news. Choose ones that are interesting to you or cultivate a more positive mindset.

5. Try Something Different       

There’s no better way to gain a new perspective than to experience something new. You know that excited feeling where you do something new or different for the first time? Exposure to new ideas and new experiences is fundamental to human development. So don’t get too stuck in routine. Try new things or expose yourself to different types of people, places, and things.

Content courtesy of Michelle Finn, Founder of Pop Design Shoppe

CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR, MICHELLE FINN

Michelle has a strong marketing background in a versatile set of roles including social media, events, and field marketing. She fell in love with design and combined it with her skills to create her business, Pop Design Shoppe. In the future, she hopes to continue her work within design or the arts (including interior design, fashion, the visual arts, and event design). She wants to continue working on projects that create impact. Her perfect day includes a morning workout, sunny day at the beach (preferably with her dog joining) followed by an evening out with friends at an event.

Connect with Michelle on Instagram @michellekatheriine and follow her business @popdesignshoppe