Is there ONE best mindset hack that beats out all others? In my opinion, it is practicing the art of mindfulness itself. The word mindfulness buzzes around all the time, but what does it really mean? Be mindful (of your blessings)? Practice mindfulness (breathe and meditate)? Be aware (of what)?
Let's break it down simply. What you want to be thinking, what thoughts you want to be focusing on, how you want to be expending the energy in your brain is the point of: 1) being mindful and 2) mindset shifting as needed.
I came to this practice relatively late in life. I had an aha moment in my yoga training over twelve years ago. On the last day of a 3-day training, everyone wore their "gratitude" t shirts. I said to myself--where did they get this t shirt, and what does gratitude have to do with yoga?". I had a lot to learn!
In learning how to teach yoga and the background of yoga itself--I learned a lot about mindfulness and how important the mind/body connection is. I also learned that I had control over my thoughts. I honestly didn't know that before. I thought they just randomly jumped in my head, and I was stuck with whatever showed up. What a relief to know that while unhelpful thoughts might jump in my head from time to time, I have the power to dismiss them. The more I exercise the power, the more I am in control of my thoughts (what my mind is actually "full" of) and subsequently my feelings.
Another factoid I learned along the way is that most of what we think today, we thought yesterday. Thousands and thousands of thoughts on repeat. That's a problem if your mind is full of thoughts that do not serve you. Here is an example, "I hate the aches and pains in my knees." That's factually true, however, it is not helpful to me to focus on that. So, tI dismiss that thought right away. Another example, "I hate going in for a colonoscopy." That is 100% true times a jillion, but since I am on the every five year protocol, it is completely unhelpful to me to entertain that thought, so I dismiss it.
The dismissal of unhelpful thoughts is mindset shifting itself. I shift my mind from what I don't want to what I do want to think.
It actually becomes a superpower to check in with what thoughts are running through your head and notice the ones that are not helping you. The more you practice this like picking weeds out of a garden, the more your mind will be full of what you do want--a blooming prairie of flowers.
It's a lifelong process. When times get tough, and we get distracted it's easy to lose your mindset shifting superpower. So practice hard when times are feeling easy, so that you are so much more likely to keep it going when times are challenging.
Keep going! I am cheering you every step of the way.
xo Coach Karen :))
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PS3 If you are in need of some one/on/one mindset coaching, send me a message, and we can set up a complimentary coffee chat on zoom. I am here to serve! karen@karenastromsky.com
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