HOW TO SHIFT INTO A POSITIVE MINDSET
EASIER SAID THAN DONE, SHIFTING YOUR MINDSET DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH THE SNAP OF YOUR FINGERS BUT RATHER THROUGH SELF DISCIPLE, TRUST, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY LOVE. WHEN WE ARE BORN WE ARE NOT CONDITIONED OR INFLUENCED BY SOCIETY, STEREOTYPES AND HATE. INSTEAD WE LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY. WHILE GROWING UP WE ARE INFLUENCED THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCES, LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES AND RELATIONSHIP TO LOVE AND HUMAN CONNECTION. UNFORTUNATELY FOR MANY OF US, THE INNOCENT UNCONDITIONAL LOVING AND JOYFUL HUMAN BEINGS WE WERE BORN AS BECOME JADED AND CONDITIONED.
AS WE GROW UP OUR MINDSET AND REALITY IS HEAVILY INFLUENCED AND SHAPED BY THE WORLD AROUND US, AND WITH CAPITALISM AT AN ALL TIME HIGH AS WELL AS FEAR MONGERING MEDIA, WE ARE SEEING A WORLD FULL OF FEAR, ANXIETY, AND TRAUMA. FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, AND WHEN WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES WITH FEAR REGULARLY, WE END UP DEPRIVING OURSELVES OF A VERY BASIC AND INSTINCTUAL HUMAN NEED. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT AT THE CORE OF WHY WE ARE SO UNHAPPY AS A SOCIETY, IS BECAUSE WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND WRAPPED UP IN A MATERIALISTIC AND STATUS DRIVEN REALITY.
WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE EARTH, WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM OURSELVES, AND WE ARE MOST CERTAINLY DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER. OFTEN SUCCUMBING TO THE DAILY 'PLEASURES' OF INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, TWITTER, NEWS CHANNELS, PODCASTS, TV, NETFLIX, HULU, AND ON AND ON. WHEN REALLY THESE 'PLEASURES' ARE INFLUENCING AND EFFECTING OUR MINDSETS AND PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE.
I USED TO BE GENUINELY TERRIFIED OF MOST THINGS FOR ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE AND CAN ATTEST TO HOW THE CONTENT YOU CONSUME EFFECTS YOUR LIFE, YOUR MINDSET, AND YOUR HAPPINESS. I USED TO WATCH LAW AND ORDER SVU A LOT AS WELL AS GREW UP WATCHING NCIS AND ALL THOSE SHOWS WITH MY FAMILY. I ALSO WAS TERRIFIED EVERY TIME IT GOT DARK OUTSIDE, I WOULD BE FEARFUL THAT SOMEONE WAS WATCHING ME THROUGH THE WINDOW OR PLANNING TO ATTACK ME. I WAS PARANOID. THEN I STOPPED WATCHING THOSE SHOWS AND AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AFTER MY FEARS STARTED TO SUBSIDE AND TO NOT CONSUME MY LIFE THEY USED TO.
TO FURTHER MY POINT, A FEW WEEKS AGO I DECIDED TO START REWATCHING CHARMED. AS SOMEONE WHO STRONG BELIEVES IN OTHER ENTITIES I BEGAN GETTING PARANOID OF EVIL SPIRITS, ETC. WHILE I KNOW THE SHOW IS FAKE AND IT DOESN'T SCARE ME WHILE WATCHING IT, IT WAS STILL ABLE TO INFLUENCE MY MIND AND PUT THOUGHTS OF PARANOIA IN MY HEAD.
SO EVEN IF WE KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE WATCHING, LISTENING TO, PLAYING, ETC. IS FAKE IT CAN STILL LEAVE AN IMPRESSION, AND WHETHER THAT IMPRESSION SHOWS UP IN YOUR DREAMS, IN YOUR FEARS, OR IN YOUR BEHAVIOR, IT DOES SHOW UP SOMEWHERE.
NOW, HOW DO YOU SHIFT YOUR MINDSET AND CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHEN WE ARE ALL SO BOMBARDED BY OTHER PEOPLES OPINIONS, EXPERIENCES, ADVERTISEMENTS, ETC.? IT'S NOT AN EASY FEAT AND IT TAKES SELF DISCIPLINE, BUT I BELIEVE IN YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT, JUST FOLLOW THESE STEPS!
STEPS FOR SHIFTING YOUR MINDSET:
1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL YOUR ACTIONS, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE AND PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINE!
EXAMPLE: YOU WANT TO STOP TALKING NEGATIVELY TO YOURSELF
EVERY TIME YOU CATCH YOURSELF SAYING A NEGATIVE THOUGHT, STOP YOURSELF. ASK WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM? APOLOGIZE TO YOURSELF AND TELL YOURSELF 3 THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU LOVE OR THINK IS BADASS.
2. PRACTICE CONSCIOUSNESS
BEING ABLE TO PRACTICE SELF LOVE AND SHIFT YOUR MINDSET NOT ONLY TAKES DISCIPLINE BUT TO PRACTICE REMAINING CONSCIOUS. YOU CAN DO THIS THROUGH INTENTIONAL YOGA, MEDITATION, JOURNALING.
3. DECLARE YOUR POSITIVITY
SHOUT IT, OWN IT, BELIEVE IT! YOU ARE A POSITIVE PERSON SO START ACTING LIKE IT AND MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE WORLD.
THESE STEPS ARE AN EASY SUMMED UP VERSION BUT THE TRUTH IS, BEING A POSITIVE PERSON AND STAYING A POSITIVE PERSON IS EASY WHEN THINGS ARE GOING YOUR WAY, BUT A BIT MORE DIFFICULT WHEN THINGS GET HARD. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP GROUND YOURSELF AND CONTINUE TO STAY POSITIVE WHEN TIMES ARE ROUGH.
ACTIVITIES FOR STAYING POSITIVE:
GRATITUDE LISTS
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO AND SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD DO MORE [I'M TALKING TO MYSELF MAINLY]. GRATITUDE LISTS ARE A GREAT WAY TO KEEP YOURSELF GROUNDED AND THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT I ALSO LOVE WRITING GRATITUDE LISTS WHEN I AM IN A NEGATIVE HEADSPACE. I FEEL THAT WRITING ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR REMINDS ME OF HOW TRULY BLESSED I AM AND HOW IT'S POINTLESS TO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.
I KNOW WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH IT CAN BE HARD TO GET STARTED, BUT JUST REMEMBER EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF GRATITUDE CAN HELP SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE. THINK ABOUT HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD, A DEVICE TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS ARTICLE, FOOD.
WE ARE LUCKIER THAN WE THINK AND HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. FOR A CHANCE TO HAVE AN ARTICLE FEATURED ON THE BLOG, TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR.
INTENTIONAL YOGA
SUN SALUTATIONS IS MY FAVORITE YOGA FLOW, BUT DO WHATEVER FEELS RIGHT TO YOU. PULL UP YOUR FAVORITE IF YOU HAVE ONE BUT ALSO CREATE YOUR OWN IF YOUR FEELING IT! BEFORE YOU BEGIN, SIT WITH YOUR HANDS IN PRAYER AT THE CENTER OF YOUR CHEST AND PUT SOME INTENTION INTO YOUR FLOW. DEDICATE IT TO WHATEVER YOU ARE BEING CALLED TO AND FOCUS YOUR ENERGY THERE FOR YOUR YOGA FLOW.
BREATHING EXERCISES
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER TRIED A BREATHING EXERCISE, YOU WILL BE SHOCKED AT HOW MUCH SIMPLE TECHNIQUES CAN EFFECT YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND, AND YOUR MOOD. A POPULAR TECHNIQUE TALKED ABOUT IN GOOP'S NEW NETFLIX DOCUSERIES, THE GOOP LAB, IS THE WIMHOF METHOD. OTHER GREAT METHODS INCLUDE THE 4-7-8 METHOD, INHALE FOR 4 SECONDS, HOLD FOR 7, EXHALE FOR 8. OR JUST INTENTIONAL BREATHING, WHERE YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES AND FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH. BREATHING NATURALLY IN AND OUT, WITH THE INTENTION OF CALM, PEACE, AND LOVE - OR WHATEVER OTHER INTENTIONS SERVE YOU IN THE MOMENT.
MANTRAS & AFFIRMATIONS
WHAT YOU INTAKE INFLUENCES YOUR LIFE, SO INTAKING POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS IS A GREAT WAY TO KEEP POSITIVE. BEYOND READING AFFIRMATIONS THOUGH, SAYING POSITIVE MANTRAS OUT LOUD CAN HELP A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT. I AM IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MANIFESTATION TOOLS OUT THERE, WHAT WE SPEAK WE BECOME SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SPEAKING KINDLY TO OTHERS AND YOURSELF.
SAY IT WITH ME:
I AM SHIFTING MY MINDSET. I AM ATTRACTING POSITIVITY. I AM PRACTICING KINDNESS AND ACTING WITH LOVE.
DON'T TAKE IT SO PERSONAL
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WE GET OFFEND AND TAKE THINGS VERY PERSONALLY WHEN SOMETHING WE DON'T LIKE HAPPENS OR WE PERCEIVE SOMETHING TO BE HAPPENING. BUT THE TRUTH IS, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S NOT PERSONAL AND THAT IS JUST US PROJECTING OUR FEARS AND INSECURITIES ONTO OTHERS. WHICH CAN MANIFEST THOSE FEARS AND INSECURITIES INTO REALITY IF WE CONTINUE IN A PATTERN OF TAKING THINGS PERSONAL AND DO NOT CATCH OURSELVES.
DETACHING FROM OUR EMOTIONS
ALONG WITH NOT TAKING THINGS PERSONAL, WE NEED TO PRACTICE DETACHING FROM OUR EMOTIONS AND NOT OWNING THEM. JUST BECAUSE WE FEEL ANXIETY DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE AN ANXIOUS PERSON, SO DON'T OWN IT LIKE YOU ARE.
FINALLY, THE REASON IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SHIFT YOUR MINDSET IS BECAUSE THIS WORLD NEEDS YOU. WE ARE IN A STATE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, OF FEAR MONGERING MEDIA, AND SOCIETY FULL OF DISTRUST AND HATE, IT IS TIME WE GET BACK TO THE CORE OF HUMAN KIND, TO THE KINDNESS PART OF IT, TO THE LOVE. BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD, LOVE AND KINDNESS IS WHAT WE LACK, WE ARE DISTRACTED WITH THE 'DAY TO DAY' IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. AND WHILE WE ALL MUST OBVIOUSLY SURVIVE AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO PLAY BY THE RULES TO DO SO, WE SHOULD ALSO BE STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES MORE. WE SHOULD BE UPLIFTING EACH OTHER AND SPREADING LOVE. IT'S TIME WE EVOLVE AND RAISE THE VIBRATION OF THIS WORLD. IT'S TIME WE VIBRATE HIGHER TO A HIGHER STATE OF CONSCIOUS. WHICH IS EXACTLY YOU NEED TO SHIFT YOUR MINDSET.