Sometimes, life happens and things don’t always go to plan the way we envisioned them to. This is just the reality of life. It can be hard to accept this, but uncertainty is something that we need to get used to if we haven't done so already.
Do you want to change your life for the better? Maybe you’re feeling a lack of drive and are struggling to understand your purpose? If this is you, it’s completely okay to feel this way! In fact, everyone who is on the path towards success will feel this way at some point in their lives. I have definitely felt this lately, and continue to feel this way every once and a while. I’m ready to implement these mindset habits in the new year to help me get back on track.
However, it’s not okay to let this overtake your thoughts and feelings and to not do something about it. Success doesn't happen at once, but happens as the result of tiny changes you make over time. Interested in learning the mindset habits to help you get there? If so, keep reading on! I’ll be sharing 5 mindset habits to help you reset your life for 2022.
Implement the Growth Mindset
Developing and implementing a growth mindset has been a major topic of discussion lately. Having a growth mindset has all to do with being willing to learn new things, and understand that you can always improve your skills with effort and practice.
One of my favorite quotes is:
"If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room”- Richard Fenyman
This continues to be one of my favorite quotes to this day, because it reflects on the idea that there is always something out there for us to learn, and that we never truly know everything.
We may be considered an expert in a specific field, but we will always learn something new.
With a growth mindset, you are able to look at different situations and question everything that’s going on around you. Adopting a growth mindset simply means that you are willing to fail, and learn something from your experience.
Through developing the habits of growth mindset, you are also able to better navigate any changes that come your way. For example, if there is a subject that you have always been curious to learn more about, by adopting a growth mindset, you recognize that it’s never too late to learn and get started on becoming more familiar with that topic.
The opposite of a growth mindset would be having a fixed mindset. People with a fixed mindset generally believe that they have learned everything they need to know, and can only use their current skills and abilities to their advantage. This mindset habit leads us into our second habit which is Finding the Positive in Everything You Do.
Finding the Positive in Everything You Do
You may be thinking, how can I be happy all of the time? This mindset tip doesn’t mean you are expected to be happy all of the time, in fact it's quite the opposite. You are choosing to focus on the positive, focus on what you are grateful for and move forward in your life with positive intention.
Learn to reflect inward and be mindful of your thoughts and actions in everything you do because our lives are a result of our thoughts and how we perceive our lives to be. Let’s take a look at an example:
Let's say you've been having a bad day. You were stuck in traffic today, had plans with a friend and they got cancelled and overall just are not feeling great. While this could sound like a tough day on the surface, you have the ability to re-shift your perspective and find the silver lining. From experiencing these events today, is there anything positive that came out of this? You may not have had free time in a while, and you were able to spend some time alone since your friend cancelled. Perhaps that traffic jam allowed you to also take a breather and reflect.
Challenging situations and obstacles are a part of life, we can't get rid of them. But we can do our very best to handle them in a healthy and positive way.
Be Your Biggest Supporter
Do you talk positively about yourself on a daily basis? Are you cheering yourself on? If your answer is no, consider reflecting on this and asking yourself why. Perhaps you may have some limiting beliefs that are preventing you from feeling proud of yourself? Regardless of how you may be feeling, I can’t stress the importance of positive self-talk enough. The thing is, many of us find ourselves relying on others to support us throughout our journey. While it’s amazing to have the support of those closest to us, it’s imperative that we first support ourselves. Because at the end of the day, even if we don’t have anyone else’s support, at least we know that we will have ourselves to count on.
You can’t love others unless you love yourself”- Leo Buscaglia
Self love is one of the best acts of love you can do for yourself. When you begin to love yourself, and I mean truly love yourself for who you are, you’ll notice everything shift around you. You will appear more self-confident, positive, and understand your self-worth.
Do not Let Your Circumstances Define You
I can’t stress the importance of not letting your circumstances define you enough. Many people may believe they are a product of their environment, however this is not entirely true.
While your external environment can play a large role in your life, it does not dictate how you live your life and who you are. By relying on the external environment for your source of happiness, you place all your responsibility into the hands of others. You essentially believe you are the victim of influences which are beyond your control, and live your life out in such a way.
Yes our family, friends, and external world does affect our lives to various degrees, but these outside factors do not define our lives. This is the message I’m hoping to get across to each and every one of you! If there are people in your life who may be too involved in your life, or who you feel you may need some time away from, consider setting a boundary with them if you haven’t already. This will allow you to take control of your life and define your own circumstances!
Take Responsibility For Your Life
Your life is your responsibility, and that’s all there is to it. It seems we should know this, however, it’s difficult for many people not to blame others in certain situations. Have you ever taken responsibility over something great that has happened in your life, but when something bad happens you blame someone else? I have struggled with this, because I would like to think anything negative that happens is the result of someone else’s wrongdoing. But this is further from the truth. Once we are able to accept responsibility for both the good and bad in our lives, we can experience joy and control over our situations.
“Take extreme ownership of your life, don’t blame any other person or anything. Take ownership of the good and bad.”- Jocko Willik
To learn more about Jocko's story, check out the ted talk he gives on extreme ownership and why it’s necessary.
Keeping this in mind, always remember to take new risks. Be open to change, and don’t be afraid to fail. The most successful people are the ones who are not afraid to fail, and who have failed numerous times. Some days will be easier than others, but as long as you put one foot in front of the other and put in the effort is what counts.
I hope these mindset habits were valuable to you, and will help you hit the reset button as the new year approaches. Which mindset habit would you like to improve upon? Are there any other mindset habits you would add to the list? I would love to hear from you in the comments down below!