How to Change Your Mindset and Stop Bad Habits

Mindset qualities such as intelligence and talent are fixed or changeable traits.

• People with a fixed mindset believe that these qualities are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable.
• Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that these abilities can be developed and strengthened by way of commitment and hard work.

How Does a Mindset Form?

Dweck suggests that many people are trained in the two types of mindsets early in life, often through the way they are raised or their experiences in school.

Fixed Mindsets

• Children who are taught that they should look smart instead of loving learning tend to develop a fixed mindset.
• They become more concerned with how they are being judged and fear that they might not live up to expectations.

Growth Mindsets

• Kids who are taught to explore, embrace new experiences, and enjoy challenges are more likely to develop a growth mindset.
• Rather than seeing mistakes as setbacks, they are willing to try new things and make errors all in the name of learning and achieving their potential.

Here are tips that will help you change your mindset and stop bad habits;

Change the way you speak to yourself

Oftentimes, we are our own worst critics. We tear ourselves down before anyone else does, convinced that the world sees only the bad in us. How often have you talked yourself out of something you truly wanted, because you felt you didn’t deserve it? Whether it’s wearing a certain outfit you didn’t feel confident in or a job that you didn’t go after or a friendship you didn’t pursue. 

Your dreams are not too big. You deserve the beautiful, healthy, abundant life you crave. But if you are telling yourself that you are not enough — not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not whatever enough — your limiting beliefs will create your reality. These limiting beliefs are holding you back from the wonderful life you’re seeking. 

Shifting your mindset is difficult, but imperative. Changing your negative inner dialogue to positive self-talk can make a world of difference. Empower yourself to live courageously. Instead of thinking about all the reasons something can’t happen, start telling yourself “I got this!”

Make sure you’re surrounded by positive friends

If your friends are positive, happy people, they are going to reflect that energy to you and share in your triumphs. If your friends are caught in a circle of negativity, you may find that your social interactions are dragged down by pessimism, petty gossip, or unhealthy competition. 

It’s important to have a positive circle of friends that can act as an echo chamber for your life. As you bring positive, healthy thoughts to your friend group, they will reflect those thoughts back. And you can do the same for them. 

Of course, there will be times when people are going through hard times. I am not suggesting you ditch your friends during their struggles! I was not always a happy and positive person through divorce and reorienting my life. However, it is important to consider if one person (or more) are constantly draining you. If you find yourself unhappy and depleted after spending time with your friends, it’s time to get a new tribe. 

When you have people in your life that reflect your values and desire for personal growth, your own progress is slingshotted forward. Seek out people who share your values, whether that’s at networking and social events, online groups, or other social places. As you begin to change your mindset and bad habits, it will become easier to connect with others. 

Be grateful

We have all heard that gratitude is important. But when you truly embrace living more consciously and having gratitude for everything, your life is never the same. Expressing gratitude can have a powerful impact on your friends, family, people you interact with, and most importantly, yourself. 

By taking nothing for granted and feeling appreciation for even the small stuff, you are able to find joy in every moment of your life, from your body’s ability to take a walk around the neighborhood to the blooming flowers you see on the way to work. 

Gratitude not only increases our happiness, it also builds our emotional resilience. By following my how to change your mindset steps, I am not guaranteeing that you will never face adversity again. Sometimes, tough things happen. However, by being grateful we have the ability to stay in the moment, continue to appreciate even small blessings, and better handle the tough stuff.

Quiet your mind

When we talk about how to change your mindset and habits, it’s impossible to leave out the chatter that goes on in your mind. I started this blog by stressing the importance of positive self-talk, which is absolutely true! It’s also true that many of us have so much stress and worry that we find our minds constantly churning. 

Our busy minds prevent us from quieting down, being truly present in the moment, and letting go. I know, as a working professional, how hard it is to let go and meditate. There’s a to-do list a mile long and always something else to remember. 

But if you don’t take the time to quiet your mind through meditation, journaling, yoga, or other contemplative practices, you will be physically and emotionally unwell. Your mind needs a break! I encourage you to try meditation. The experience of quieting your mind is an important part of realigning your mind+body+soul. 

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Culled from: Medium.