Mindset: it controls how we see the world

What is your mindset?

Basically it is what you believe and think. It affects how you react to various situations you encounter.

Experts agree that if you want to change your behaviour you have to change your beliefs. It is a bit like re-programming a computer.

Myrko Thum is an expert in that he has had a lot of success. You can read his post about Mindset for more details. It is well worth a look.

I followed the free tutorials by Myrko Thum. You have to sign up to get them but I found him very easy to understand and he had lots of practical advice.

Changing your mindset

Well, is it worth the effort? Does it work? I must say that based on my experience you can change your mindset gradually and begin to see the world through different eyes.

In order to change your mindset you have to uncover what it is that you believe deep down. I have many limiting beliefs that I am working on changing. How I viewed trying to lose weight was working against my goals. I hated the thought if not being able to eat all the foods I like.

This is what I saw when I thought about controlling what I eat

Before I learnt about limiting beliefs I had spent several months creating Positive Affirmations. I would do my morning walk and say positive things like "I deserve to be fit and healthy" or "I am fit and healthy". 

I wrote lots of short affirmations on cards and started to memorise them. I would then say them out loud as I walked each morning. 

This lead naturally to replacing my negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Things like 

"I'm never going to get any fitter" or "I can't stand up and talk on video" became 

"I will continue to walk every day. I have made a lot of progress increasing the distance I can walk" and "I will do my best at a video and upload it today" or "Every time I make a new video I improve".

How to discover your limiting beliefs

Once again I refer to Myrko Thum. Read what he writes about limiting beliefs. I don't have any affiliation with him but I like his stuff and it is easier to just go to one site and get as much out of it as possible.

He has a tip to find your limiting beliefs and change them around.

You write down 

I really want to do ________

But ___________________

Then you write the same goal.

I really want to do __________

Because __________________

I got lots of things for each section. 

The "BUT" list is your limiting beliefs relating to your goal or dream.

The "BECAUSE" list is your positive mindset thinking for that goal or dream.

What I did

Positive affirmations are future thoughts relating to how you want your life to be.

Positive mindset refers to how you respond to situations as they arise.

Some of my positive affirmations are:

• I am successful and self-confident
• I am fit and strong
• I am healthy and good looking
• I am a good role model for my daughters
• I exercise and meditate everyday
• I eat healthy food 80% of the time
• I am a famous designer

Some of my positive mindset thoughts that I refer to when I doubt myself are:

• I can do it
  (replacing "I can't do this, it is too complicated")
• I can't please everyone
  (replacing "I have to do everything for everyone")
• I have used my checklist to proof the file and done my best.
  (replacing "I hope there aren't any mistakes" or "What if there is a mistake?")
• I enjoy hearing from my customers and interested people. They must want to ask a question. (replacing a physical flinch first then "Oh no, that's a convo. I hope it isn't a problem")
• I have an eating plan in place. I will see results gradually the same as I do for my fitness. (replacing "I'll never lose weight")

I'm sure you can see that my limiting beliefs were almost paralysing me and I had to do something if I wanted to enjoy my pattern business and my life.

Start doing something today

It is easy to make excuses. One of my limiting beliefs was "People will think I am nuts trying to change who I am. I'll keep it a secret."

I think you can see that I have made some progress with the way I think about changing my mindset. I have had interest and encouragement from a few friends and family, showing me that what I thought before wasn't the reality, it was just what I believed.

To make it easier for you to do something positive I have created a Mindset Worksheet. You can print off one for each of the areas of life listed by Myrko Thum or use your own goals and dreams that you are struggling to achieve.

Download the worksheet

I know how it is when people say "Just write out your positive affirmations" or "Just write your positive thought for this situation" and you kind of think "What!"

So I have included the words and phrases that I have been using in a set of handy cards. There is a blank set so you can start collecting your own.

Download the handy cards

Create your happy life,

Val