Mastering Your Mindset

Welcome to Mindset March! 

This month we’re exploring the impact our mind has on achieving our goals. I work with clients who want to build their mindset so they can thrive in the toughest conditions, and of course, those tough conditions vary by each person. This blog post contains tips that will help anyone who wants to start improving their mindset. We know the mind plays a pivotal role in overcoming challenges and pushing boundaries, so let's delve into some key strategies to cultivate a mindset that propels us forward, one step at a time. 

Cultivate Positivity

A great way to start boosting your mindset is by cultivating positivity, and the following tips are designed to help you start to do that. You get to decide whether you have an awful time or a great time. Build on your existing mental resilience and remember that your mind is the one thing you can control in a situation. Smile- this releases endorphins and relieves stress. Your mind can only be in one state at once, so you can choose whether you feel stressed or happy. Why not decide to enjoy the experience? 

Being Grateful

Practising gratitude encourages you to seek out positivity during your day, and is one of the easiest ways to start cultivating a wider positive mindset. Gratitude practices have been linked to the release of hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin, both associated with positive emotions. I’m always an advocate for simplicity, so just keep a lookout for things to be thankful for during your day- it’s completely up to you if you go down the route of writing in a journal or not. It works by slowly turning your mindset towards looking for positivity, and as I’m always saying, what you focus on, grows. 

Look For Opportunities

Opportunities surround us. They are everywhere. But, seeing them comes down to your perspective on the situation. Moments of growth and learning can be found even in the midst of a challenging experience. Is this the worst experience you have ever had? Or is it an opportunity to discover the areas about yourself that need your focus, or perhaps realise you are stronger than you know? 

In Addition To Looking Forward, Don’t Forget To Look Back

Another great way to cultivate positivity is to make sure you celebrate your successes, however small they may seem. Acknowledge how far you have come and remind yourself of everything you have achieved along the way. When you're on the 'start line' of a new experience in life, remind yourself that you have already been on a journey to get to that point and you should be proud of that. We often rush through life, bouncing from one thing to the next, so ask yourself when did you last take a moment to reflect on how far you've come? 

Nurture Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment, without judgment or distraction. Mindfulness is about accepting the moment for what it is. Focus on your breathing because this is the one guaranteed thing that will always return you to the moment. Notice the sensations of the air as it enters your nose, is it warm or cold? If you find your mind wanders a lot, a great technique is to notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.

Self Talk 

Self talk refers to the internal dialogue that you have with yourself and also includes your thoughts. Your self talk shapes your perceptions on a situation as well as infuencing how you feel which results in your outward behaviour. Improving your self talk involves cultivating a positive and supportive narrative. How would you talk to your best friend or a loved one? And that's how your own self talk should be. First you need to tune in to your self talk, then make a conscious decision to start changing the dialogue to something more supportive and useful. This takes practice, and working with a coach can help you identify where your self talk and beliefs come from. 

Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

Your mind is wired to seek out pleasure over pain. By getting comfortable with what is uncomfortable, you are setting your mind up for success, and the ‘reward-seeking’ side of it will look for the things you have taught it to enjoy. By changing how you feel about a situation, you can train your mind to want to do it. Make exercise a pleasurable experience so your reward-seeking mind wants to do it! Your perceptions of a situation and your self talk have a big impact here. 

Break Down The Distance

Some people like to visualise the end and ignore everything in between, whereas others like to take it one step or one small manageable section at a time. It’s about what works for you. Don’t forget to celebrate the milestones along the way. With each item ticked off your to-do list, or each vibration on your smartwatch, make sure you take a moment to enjoy your progress. 

Keep Moving, Just One More…

With physical challenges, the mind will usually give out before the body does. Keep moving, one foot in front of the other. Being uncomfortable is an opportunity to discover so much about yourself- who you really are and how much you can tolerate. Prepare yourself with affirmations and visualisation for when you reach these moments of doubt. Ask yourself if you can go one more metre, one more mile, and the answer will almost certainly be yes. Always remember you can keep going a little further. Runners reach the limit of their tolerance for suffering before they reach the limit of their physical capacity. Remember this outlook can be used in any area of life, not just physical challenges. 

Visualisation

Visualisation is a powerful mental tool that plays a crucial role in improving your performance, with proven results. It involves creating detailed and vivid mental images of successfully performing specific skills or achieving desired outcomes in your sport.

Remember...

Not everything will always fall in your favour so be resilient. Resilient individuals often demonstrate traits such as flexibility, adaptability, emotional strength, problem-solving skills, and a positive outlook, which help them navigate and overcome difficulties, maintain their equilibrium, and emerge stronger from challenging situations. Resilience is also about acknowledging when something isn’t working and having the confidence and self belief to try another way.

If you enjoyed these tips and would like to work with me, book a call to get started!