Steps to EMPOWERED Mindset
How does one gain an EMPOWERED Mindset? Then how do we maintain it? Any mindset that we achieve requires consistent nourishment to continue flourishing in our daily lives. Now, that is actually a good thing as it means we are fully capable of changing our mindsets whenever we want. Every day is a new beginning. I even go further and say that every hour is a new beginning or every minute. We can choose to change our course in our lives at any moment. We do not need to wait for a Monday or January 1 or another set date in time. We can do it right now. There are no excuses.
So if we are able to change a negative state and turn it into a more positive mindset then, at same time, our positive state can turn negative as well. Therefore, we must nourish our positive mindset daily with positive thinking, positive self-talk, meditation, QiGong, outdoor activities, and so many more techniques. Everyone has activities or exercises that work best to ground them back to a more positive state. We can speak more about various techniques as well.
Therefore, gaining a positive, empowered mindset and maintaining it are equally as important. Let’s discuss steps to achieve it and by repeating at least some of these steps daily or when we feel ourselves straying we can effectively maintain an empowered mindset.
Remain flexible and keep an open mind. You have the power and right to change your mind at any time. You also have the right to change your identity and how you view yourself. Shift from a victim to empowered, survivor and thrivor. Begin by seeing yourself as the person you want to become at the identity level. How do you view yourself? As your image changes so do your behaviors because your view of yourself is different. You are not a victim of your external environment but instead are someone who has power, choice, and control over your life. Leave behind any view you may have of yourself as a victim. With energy comes power. Take back control of your choices and decision making. Avoid people pleasing and saying ‘yes’ when you really mean ‘no’. Now is the time to get really clear on your identity, values, beliefs so you will be empowered.
Choose your thoughts and words wisely. Your thoughts become your words…from Lao Tzu “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” Choose positive and flexible thoughts that can adapt with you. Rigid thinking is similar to rigid items in real life – they break. I prefer flexibility like palm trees that sway with hurricane winds instead of snapping. If we remain flexible with our bodies and minds, we can adapt and grow with the dynamic, changing times. Be careful with identifying yourself with negativity as your brain will seek out experiences in your past, present, and future that align with that identity. Our minds work to reinforce our thinking and beliefs so it is paramount that you choose an empowering identity.
You are a survivor and thrivor not a victim. Most people have had difficulties in their lives so choose to have survived them rather than being victimized. The events that occurred to you do not change but your beliefs about them and what they mean to you do. Remember, we cannot control the events but we can control our reactions to these events. When you view yourself as a survivor and thrivor you will start feeling empowered and develop “post-traumatic growth.” So shift your identity from victim to survivor to shift your perception of yourself and world around you. Adversities, struggles, failures are all unavoidable in life but you and only you can choose your reaction and whether you will be a victim or a survivor and thrivor – someone who faces life’s obstacles and comes out victorious and stronger and better than before! To survive and thrive is to succeed!
Adaptability is key. Try your best to improvise, modify, adapt, and overcome “any obstacle in whatever situation.” Just simply saying you can and that you are an “adaptable person” allows your mind to reinforce that belief. Your mind will look back at past events and focus on times when you overcame other difficulties which will provide you that sense of empowerment in your present moment of uncertainty. Your mind will believe and tell itself “I got this”, “I can do this”, “anything is possible”, “I have been through worse.” Even if you are uncertain about how you will make it out, you know you will!
Acceptance and accountability of past mistakes and failures. There is nothing wrong or bad with failing at something. It is through the failures that we learn and grow and continue to make better informed and evolved decisions for ourselves. Follow your intuition and know that things happen for a reason and are usually wake-up calls for you to learn. Our inner guide/wisdom/intuition is always guiding us in the way we need to go. When we decide to listen and accept, our life gets better, brighter, and we grow because we have surrendered ourselves to this flow of energy. Everything is energy. When we accept what occurred and react in a positive way by learning which was most likely the reason it happened, we can move on to greater places. If you notice, when you don’t listen you can keep making these same mistakes over and over again or your life may seem more difficult until you finally listen and learn from this experience. So be accountable for your actions and mistakes. Learn and grow. Then you move on better and stronger.
Your mental fortitude to put in effort is most important. Being able to mentally pick yourself up after falling down or facing difficulties and challenges. When the times get tough, work harder. Coming back from adversities. Not giving up when it gets tougher because it usually does. As I have said before, we can’t control the outcome of events but we can control ourselves – our reaction and the effort we put into them.
Always do good. When in doubt, always give to others, have compassion, and empathy. Not only does being a giver cultivate positive long-term relationships but also makes us feel happy, is good for our health, evokes gratitude, and is contagious. Our lives should really be about giving. When we give to others we invest a piece of ourselves into others and it magnifies and enlarges our own existence. It is this investment that we make of ourselves into other people’s lives that empowers us and gives our life meaning and purpose. Remember “Your life is not about you. Your life is about everyone else whose life you touch and the way in which you touch it.” Neale Donald Walsch
Everything is fuel for your fire. Stoicism teaches us so much and from Marcus Aurelius we have so many great lessons. Here is a quote: “A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.” We only get stronger and better from events in our lives. If your goal is to keep learning and gaining wisdom, then nothing can happen to you that doesn’t have some lesson embedded within it.
Importance of being a life long learner. I consider myself a philomath. A lover of learning. A student of life. I love to learn new things. As Lou Holtz has said, “You are either growing or dying.” The world is always changing all around us so if we maintain a fixed mindset and finite amount of information, we will fall short of further growth and advances. Example. Inflation. Even if you save $100 and hold it dearly without any change, you will lose money. So you must actively try to make money just to fight against the currents of inflation. The same goes with learning. You don’t want your beliefs and understanding to remain stagnant. Instead keep nourishing your learning and keep growing in our ever changing world. It is empowering to stay ahead of the curve!
I am always in training to be the best version of me. I train consistently and all the time for myself. What is this training? Mental discipline to better deal with pressure, controlling emotions, being able to approach challenges in a creative and strategic way, give and help others, be the change and inspiration for all, and always work on improving yourself and your techniques.
It is all about your mindset (internal over external) that empowers you! We cannot control external events but we can control our reactions and responses. Our empowered mindset involves overcoming obstacles, choosing to learn and grow from challenges and mistakes, showing compassion to others, and knowing that we can do anything as anything is possible. What we believe, we become.