I’m constantly amazed by just how much power we possess in our everyday lives.  Once we learn how to get out of our own way, things seem so much clearer—simpler.  And yet I hear the same old droning record play out week after week, (and often in my own experience,) “I feel stuck and don’t know how to move forward.”  

When I hear someone, or notice my own inner dialog buying into this belief, I have an idea what might be the through line: mindset.  Our limiting mindsets are based on our current beliefs about ourselves and the world around us.  A belief is simply a practiced thought supported by a felt experience.  We’ve become expert storytellers in a sense, concocting narratives over time that basically define our reality. Where do these start? In our minds.  

Here are three reasons you might need a mindset shift:

1) You haven’t been able to make the tangible changes you’d like to in your life

2) You lack vision 

3) You are stuck in toxic relationships

Interestingly enough, we find ourselves trying too hard in order to shift our circumstances or achieve a desired outcome.  So hard, in fact, that we eventually burn out, raise the white flag, and retreat to squishy old behaviors that feel familiar and easy.  

So what gives?  Well, if it all starts with our mind, I’d say that’s a fair place to pick back up.  We simply can’t live in integrity with ourselves if we’re believing one thing and acting out a different thing.  This tension creates a vicious cycle that, you guessed it, keeps us stuck.  

Let’s do it differently then.  Give those laborious behavioral changes a rest.  It’s time to build a firm foundation in our minds.  Ask yourself this: “What kind of person makes the progress I’m  trying to make?”  Write down a list of specific different characteristics.  

For example, if I’m trying to get to the gym three days a week, I might put: committed, motivated, active, confident, intentional.  

Okay great, now what?  

Now it’s time to shift your mindset to align with a committed, motivated, active, confident, and intentional person.  Even if you don’t feel these things, creating a mental space that will  cultivate them can shift everything.  “I’m learning to practice more intentionality in my workout routine.” Ease into it.  These tiny mindset changes over time yield massive changes.