…and what to do about them!

It’s that time of year when the days get shorter…and sometimes so do our tempers. We have a “shorter fuse” when we’re tired, so it’s important to know where to put your energy–mentally and physically.

It’s time to take the reigns of your brain. This will take effort, but have massive paybacks for your future self–it will literally reclaim brain space for you to think about the things in your life that really matter.

The 5 mindset you could do without:

1. Gossiping | You’ve heard the phrase “What Sally says about Sarah says more about Sally than Sarah” and it’s true. When we gossip about others, it reveals our own insecurities and damages relationships. Before you open your mouth about someone else, ask yourself, “Even if this is true, is it necessary to share?”
2. Indecision/worry | Our brains are hard-wired to look for problems. This is not a problem. The problem is when we become fixated on what might be instead of staying in the present. Worrying about things we cannot control or worrying we will make the wrong decision paralyzes us from taking action. Ask yourself “If either decision would turn out splendidly, which one would I choose just because I want to?” Then take action from there and don’t look back.
3. Blaming others for how you feel | Part of being an emotional adult is taking responsibility for how we feel. When we blame others for how we feel, we are essentially giving them the key to our heart and mind. It renders us powerless and is not a fun way to live.
4. People pleasing | Are you showing up authentically in your life or “acting?” When we do things because we want other people to be happy or “like us,” it is always at the expense of something else–our emotional health.
5. Complaining | If there was one habit you could break that would make the biggest difference right now in your life, it would be deciding today that you will no longer complain. About anything. Choosing to find the good in any situation, (or at the very least what you can learn from it) puts you in the drivers seat of your life. You are no longer at the mercy of whatever hand you’ve been dealt, but equipped mentally how to deal with it.

Why we default to these mindsets

The reason why default to some of these habits is two fold–in some ways, we tell ourselves it’s easier. It’s easier to complain than to do something about it or find a solution. It’s easier to blame others for how we feel than to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The other reason we do some of these things is because it actually feels productive. It feels useful in some ways to worry, to look at worst case scenarios. We feel “prepared.” But it always has a cost. The cost is valuable time and energy that you could spend taking action on more important things.

Look at this list. What would you gain back in your life if you were able to kick even one of these habits that are holding you back?

Choose ONE today and kick it to the curb. It’s as simple as deliberately deciding this is no longer an activity you want to participate in. And if/when you find yourself engaging in that behavior, you gently remind yourself:

Self, I no longer do that. I am evolving into my higher self, a person who doesn’t _________.

Reclaim your energy and mind, it is yours for the taking!