How Changing Your Mindset Can Change Your Life

Henry Ford said it best.

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

The world’s greatest pioneers always started with their own vision and then they made it happen. If you asked anyone in the 1800s the best way to get somewhere faster, they would have answered, “get a faster horse and buggy.”

But Henry Ford had a vision of something more, and didn’t stop until he came up with his solution–and thankfully he did!

The same was true of Steve Jobs. Even just 20 years back, could we ever have thought that almost everyone you know would have more 100x more powerful “computers” in the palm of their hands every day than the huge Personal Computers we could only access when sitting at our desks.

It’s the vision and belief that we can make anything happen that gives us what we want in life. While we may not all be the greatest innovators of our time, we all have the same power to make things happen for ourselves-both good and bad! And that comes down to mindset.

So, as with anything in life whether it’s improving how you feel, your career or work situation, relationships, community… more success is directly correlated to a more positive mindset.

In fact, this is not just woowoo stuff, it is science backed. Did you know that we can actually re-train our brains to become more positive?

When we re-train the brain in a certain way to be more positive it has been shown to increase productivity by 31%. That’s incredible! And it’s not just about being “happier.” Retraining your brain for more positivity creates more accuracy, reduces stress levels and does improve level of happiness

So, why aren’t we all re-training our brains?

For me, I’ve just always been a glass half empty person while my sister has always been a glass half full. She even goes to sleep and wakes up with a smile on her face. It really is amazing. Quite frankly, despite me having to make fun of her because she’s my sister, I am actually jealous!

So, I realized I wanted to be more positive but how would I make that happen?

I took the following steps that truly were life-changing and I could and still feel the shifts going on.

The first step is to buy a pocket-sized journal and keep in in sight in your bathroom so it is easily accessible and so that you won’t miss seeing it.

Now you need to take a few minutes to define as I call it, your Positive Path. 

First you will write your why and Vision

Answer the following questions:

The first question to ask is what is your why.

What is it that I want to improve? For example, perhaps you desire to lose weight.

Is it because you need to lose weight?

But why do you need to lose weight and what would that mean to you?

Does it mean that you will be you will feel confident in a bathing suit, or even would be willing to be seen wearing a bathing suit as you’ve managed to avoid it?

Because it would mean that you can face yourself in the mirror with confidence?

Then it would mean that it will finally feel great to just get that roominess when you wear a pair of jeans without them squeezing your middle and creating a muffin top.

Or maybe you just want to feel confident going to that wedding where you are going to see so many relatives you haven’t seen in years?

Or maybe ultimately it would then mean that you will feel more frisky with your partner because you haven’t felt attractive to them?

This will mean something different to all of us, but the point is to keep peeling and peeling those layers until you get to what it will really mean to you.

Close your eyes and picture yourself getting to your goals. How does it feel? 

Again, for weight loss, see yourself at that point—either wearing clothes that make you feel confident or nodding and smiling when you look at yourself in the mirror or even standing on the scale and seeing the number you desire it to be. Feel it, see it, hear it. See people telling you how great you look. Whatever comes to you to make you feel like you’re in that moment.

So, what would it mean to you to… (your goal)?

Because it would mean that…..

Then, it would mean that…

Then, it would mean that…

Until you get to where your ultimate goal is in how you want to feel.

Make your vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant.

Yes, we are blocked out of fear of stepping out of our old patterns and what it will mean. Embrace this new practice so it will be easier to overcome those old mindsets that have been blocking you for years.

Now you know why you want to get to your goals and what they really are, create a “Miracle Equation” by starting with your Mindset.

In The Miracle Equation by Hal Elrod, he talks about the only way to accomplish something you’ve doubted in the past. 

First, you need to establish unwavering faith that you CAN do something you haven’t done before. You will start with a non-compromising mindset and then create your method to achieve what you want by predetermining the process. 

You simply work backwards to determine exactly what you need to do and the time frame in which you will do it. What is it going to require to get to where you want to be?

Then, execute the steps using your non-compromising mindset and your method through extraordinary effort and CONSISTENCY. You will notice that you are letting yourself off the hook if you don’t get to the goal, but you stillhave to do everything in your power to get there. It’s more about being forgiving as opposed to beating yourself up along with way to keep you going in a more supportive mindset and actually works as better incentive.

For the Mindset Method:

Write down an end point for your ultimate goal (time frame-specific date and goal). Again, write down your very specific goal—maybe to fit into your size 6 jeans without them binding into your stomach…. Now you may have to quantify that a bit to break it down, by pounds or pant size or whatever else makes sense for you.

Then, work backwards and determine one month at a time where you would need to be to achieve that goal. Then, break it down further by week.

Now your unwavering goal is broken down into bite-size chunks so it becomes more achievable with time-frame checkpoints.

Then create your Mindset Mantra as Hal Elrod illustrates in his book:

“I am committed to giving everything I have to get (your goal) regardless of my results along the way. No matter what, there is no other option.”

Then, say it, think it, see it, say it, think it, see it…wash- rinse- repeat, until it gets into your subconscious.

Now, copy the above time-frames and Mindset Mantra into the first page of your pocket-sized notebook where you will look at it and say it every day.

The next step to retraining your brain is with gratitude and positivity. Every morning in the following pages of your journal, you will write 3 things you are grateful for and then at night, 1 positive thing in your life within the last 24 hours as well as one act of kindness you experienced.

I know this may seem like a lot, but I’ve been doing this for the past few months, and I only invest about 2 minutes every morning and the same or less, at night. In fact, I want you to make a time limit of 2 minutes to accomplish, so we train our brain in this way also.

And let me tell you, there’s no better way to fall asleep at night than with a smile on your face after writing down positive things you have done that day. Yes, it always makes me smile.

I even take it a step further and as I close my eyes to go to sleep, I always SMILE (very important as it’s hard NOT to be positive with a smile on your face) and just repeat what I wrote in my journal or things I am grateful for. It truly sets me up for a peaceful night’s sleep no matter how stressful my day may have been.

So, it should look something like this below:

• Every morning: Read your Mindset Mantra out loud and write 3 new things you are grateful for and why.
• Every evening: Read your Mindset Mantra out loud and write one positive thing you accomplished and one act of kindness you had in the last 24 hours before bed
• Every morning and evening (and throughout the day): recite your Mindset Mantra out loud (important to say it out loud as this will put it out in the world as opposed to just thinking it).

This is the fastest way to learn and really internalize optimism.

However, you must practice these exercises EVERY DAY. Consistency is the key. But make it a point to do this for no longer than 2 minutes at a time. This is important as we are training the brain to think quickly what first comes to mind (excuse the pun!) and spending little time doing so.

Make it your goal to do this for 1 full month. It may seem hard but it does get easier. We all have so much to be grateful for.

By creating your Positive Path and consistently practicing these quick exercises every day, you will achieve your goals more easily than you ever thought possible.

Our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world…as in being able to remake ourselves. ~  Mahatma Gandhi

All material in this newsletter is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication;instead readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information provided has not been approved the Food & Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease.