Consider if you lost all of your possessions, you would still have yourself, your mentality, and psyche. Our personalities, in large part, are composed of mindsets.
So, is there such a thing as an unhealthy mindset?
Yes, there is. An unhealthy mindset is the type that unnecessarily increases the pain we suffer, as well as, the misery we feel. The unhealthy mindset lowers our ability to solve problems and derive happiness from our lives.
Negative mindsets are so destructive that they become unhealthy. They can’t and will not lead to anything good in our lives at all. It’s just not possible for positive outcomes to arise from a toxic mentality.
At best, toxic thinking might lead to success in one aspect of your life, but to catastrophic failure in others. For example, a perfectionist might rise high among the ranks in their career, while simultaneously ruining their personal relationships by alienating the people in their lives. Negative mindsets get established and thrive in part because on some level, those mindsets masquerade as being somehow helpful. We rationalize that they help us from being harmed again. In reality, they guarantee our being harmed every day, not necessarily in obvious ways.
Taking on new challenges becomes frightening and almost unbearable. The immediate assumption that you will fail can be daunting, and many of us fear failure above all else. The barrier-focused mindset can keep you stuck in your comfort zone, thwarting your ability to grow and learn.
A negative mindset serves itself.
The negative mindset twists and warps events and reactions to serve its purpose, which is to self-sabotage, while the healthy mindset serves the individual. The healthy mindset serves you. It leads you to success by alleviating your thoughts of unnecessary or non-existent stresses.
Always remember, a toxic mindset doesn’t have to be permanent. Just because you may be stuck in one now does not necessarily mean that you are stuck in it forever. One of the most positive, fascinating aspects of being human is our endless ability to adjust and adapt to the world around us, and to adapt to our own needs once we realize them.
All change begins with knowledge and understanding, let’s look at key unhealthy mindsets and how we can change them.
The Barrier-Focused Mindset
All life choices come with opportunities and potential challenges. These two sides of a coin are always there. Allowing your fear of failure to stop you from trying new things and focusing on barriers that could hinder your ability to meet your goal will limit your happiness, thus stopping you from trying anything new and keeping you from challenging yourself in important ways.
When You See Only Obstacles, Not Opportunities
Challenges are inevitable, regardless of what path you have decided to take. An essential part of human growth and evolution is tackling new challenges to learn. When you see only obstacles in life, you are highly unlikely to want to face any obstacle.
Several options are always available to you with every challenge in your life. There usually is the possibility for success, but struggle and failure cannot be completely avoided. A barrier-focused mindset will lead your focus towards all the ways you can fall short, fail, or stumble through your desired path instead of focusing on all the ways that you can come out triumphant.
Taking on new challenges becomes frightening and almost unbearable. The immediate assumption that you will fail can be daunting, and many of us fear failure above all else. The barrier-focused mindset can keep you stuck in your comfort zone, thwarting your ability to grow and learn.
The barrier-focused mindset stifles growth and development. When we stop growing, we develop anxiety, discomfort, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. Fearing obstacles instead of seeing them as chances to grow will lead you to maintain the status quo, which eventually will have you missing out on all the good things life has to offer.
Seeing past obstacles and embracing opportunity doesn’t mean that the barriers no longer exist. It simply means that you would do what it takes to get past barriers and enjoy the rewards. It means facing your fear to move on.
How to Overcome the Barrier-Focused Mindset
The willingness to learn new things, take on new challenges, and embrace new opportunities is a sure-fire way to grow and achieve your dreams. Accepting your fears and challenges is necessary to overcome the unhealthy, barrier-focused mindset.
It matters to take small steps and start becoming aware of what scares you. Once you are aware of what scares you, then you can start working on taking the necessary actions to overcome these things. Expose yourself slowly and gently each day to something that scares you just a little.
Obstacles are inevitable. When you start to see them and take notice of them, pause and evaluate. Are you seeing an obstacle where there isn’t one? Work on changing your perspective and discern whether something is really an obstacle or if you are only seeing it that way. This can help you understand what is really in your path and how you can overcome these things easily. Recognizing what is and what isn’t an obstacle can help you overcome true obstacles and challenges when they arise.
Set goals to help you identify what it is you truly want in life. Once you are clear on your dreams, start devising a plan for making them happen. When you have something to work toward that excites you, it can help you see that even facing obstacles is most often worth the risk.
Ask. Ask again and again. Develop this habit of asking instead of immediately making assumptions. Curiosity is helpful in understanding fears and the opportunities that may be hidden within them.
Asking questions is an act of opening yourself up to new things. Making unnecessary assumptions and judgments, or “jumping the gun” so to speak, will hinder the exploration process. Keep asking questions, and you will notice less and less obstacles in life.
The main reason to consider adopting a growth mindset is so that you can learn to overcome obstacles. It is vital to move past a mindset that focuses only on what’s stopping you. When you begin to recognize the opportunities within challenges, you open yourself up to richer experiences and more achievements than ever before.
Working on your mindset? Here’s a fabulous gift for you!
Wishing you Wellness, Wisdom, and Wealth!
Namaste,
– Rochel Marie
If you’re ready for personalized help in Releasing Mindsets that Hold you Back, I invite you to schedule a chat with me!
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Rochel Marie Lawson is a Registered Nurse, Ayurvedic Health Practitioner, Holistic Health and Wellness Consultant, Speaker, and Radio Show Hostess. Her goal is to bring holistic health and wellness into the lives of individuals seeking a natural path to wellness.
