Mindset is something I've been studying for many years now. I'm a self help junkie! I guess I'd better be honest here. I've struggled, like many of you, not feeling good enough, dealing with shame, holding myself back, anxiety, depression. It was over 2 years ago now that I was at a personal training seminar where I saw Brian Grasso, co-creator of the Mindset Performance Institute, speak. I was blown away with what he was saying and knew right then that I would be joining whatever program he had!
I've now gone through the MPI level 1 and 2 programs, coached personally with Brian's other half, Carrie Campbell, gone to a summit, a retreat and continue my journey with them through their Eliminate Your Limits program and a retreat I will be attending in February, 2017 in Spain!!!
You may be thinking, haven't your learned the tools to do this on your now yet? Yes and no. I believe this is a journey with no end point or destination. And, just like any skill you learn, you refine it and make it better. Self mastery, I think, is the most important skill you can work on in your lifetime.
I heard on a The Life Coach School podcast, not managing your mind is like letting a 5 year old run around the house with a knife!! Yikes! It drums up quite the image don't you think? But, it's the truth! Your unconscious mind (UM) is running the show 95% of the time! What's wrong with that you might ask? Your UM is made up of all of your life experiences from birth, societal influences, circumstances and events in your life, cultural influences, everything! We have some 65,000 thoughts each day and around 90% are the same as the day before. If you are overweight and really want to be fit and healthy, you can thank your UM. If you are in debt and not in the financial position you would like, yep, good ol' UM. If you are in a relationship that you're unhappy with and it lacks the passion and love you desire, you got it, UNCONSCIOUS MIND is the reason.
It's not that the unconscious mind is a bad thing. It's there to protect us and keep us safe. The problem is that it doesn't like change. It's always looking for proof to stay where you are. It is designed to look for the negative. So when you say, I look fat today, your unconscious mind says, let's look for ways to keep you fat because that's what you say we are. Your mind only knows what you tell it!
Every little thing you think takes shape in some form. If you think negative thoughts day in and day out, complaining in your mind about the weather, your work situation, your home life, whatever, it will manifest in some way. You know the cliche statement, what you think about, you bring about. Well, it really is true.
So how do you start the process of change? LISTEN. Listen all day and hear the conversation that you have in your mind. Do so without judgement and just try to observe. Your internal dialogue is the most important conversation you have everyday. Tune in to how you are feeling. When an uncomfortable feeling comes up, ask yourself what you are thinking in that moment. Often times, the unconscious mind is so conditioned to respond to certain situations that you don't even have the thought. It just reacts.
The easiest way to tap in to the unconscious mind is to get a journal, wake up in the morning and check-in with yourself. Take a couple minutes to sit in silence, breathe and let your mind do it's thing. I'll ask myself, what is bothering me or what am I afraid of right now, to give my mind a question to answer. Again, listen without judgement and just record your thoughts.
As always, I'm here to help! I've found having a coach to hold me accountable to this process invaluable. It's easy to get distracted and let one day of not journaling turn in to 2, 3, and so forth and then just do it once in a while. THIS MUST BE DONE DAILY like brushing your teeth to keep it healthy! The good news is your brain is capable of change. Whatever you desire can be yours. :)
Have an amazingly awesome day!
Xo!
M