Image courtesy of thought-catalog at Unsplash
Self doubt can be the killer of dreams. It can create distance between you and others and also between your dreams and where you are now. Feeling like you are Imposter in your own life and you are just waiting for someone to figure you out can be extremely exhausting and left unchecked it can keep us stuck in jobs, relationships and situations that do not serve us. I was recently contacted on Linked In by a young woman looking for some useful advice that I have learned along the way to achieving my own goals so as I thought about writing back to her, I thought it might be useful to share with you the resources and tools that I have used over the past few years and continue to use to help me grow my mindset for success.
1. Read personal development books
I have been reading personal development books for years but it was never consistent and I would resonate with the content but I would never put what I learned into practice. Someone once said to me that you only know something when you are actually doing it. So start small, think about a topic you need help with, perhaps confidence, gratitude, self care and get the appropriate book and commit to reading 10 pages a day and most importantly implement what you learn.
2. Watch inspirational videos
If we stop to think about it we are bombarded with negative information on a daily basis through the news, newspapers, tv programmes, magazines etc so watching an inspiring video is one way to build your mindset. You can find these on social media, you tube and range anything from 1 minute upwards so if you don't have much time just find a short one to watch. You can't help but be moved and inspired when you watch them.
3. Listen to podcasts
Whilst travelling, cooking and getting ready in the morning I take advantage of using that time to listen to podcasts which are normally episodes from 15 to 45 minutes covering a whole range of topics depending on which podcasts you listen to. They are a great way to expand your knowledge, to give you a boost of inspiration or getting tips to help me on my entrepreneurial journey.
4. Journalling
When I first started journalling I started small and just used to write 3 things each day that I was grateful for and to start I found the process clunky and repetitive. However over time it got easier and it opened my eyes to all the stuff that I took for granted each day. I was focusing on the negative when there was so much good in my life. My journalling process has expanded over the years but what has happened now is my brain starts to think about the positive before I even put pen to paper.
5. Spend time in nature
Nowadays we can spend too much time in boxes. We live in a box, we get to work in a box, we exercise in a box. Being outdoors in nature is once of the natural pick me ups yet we rush from one box to another. So whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours, get outdoors and take in the energy of nature. I always find that when my mind is busy, getting out in nature blows the cobwebs away and I also get some real great ideas and insights so I return feeling more energised and with a clearer mind.
6. Mix with positive people
They say you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with and people are either classed as a radiator or a drain. So if you live, work and hang around with people who are drains then guess what? It will rub off on you or drag you down. Find some new people who are more of who you want to be around and find ways to limit the time you spend with the people who are not helping your mental wellbeing and growth.
7. Work with a coach
Working with a coach 1:1 is great if you want to get faster results when you want to make some change the way you feel about yourself or work towards some new goals. When I was in my corporate job I was unfullifed, lost and didn't believe that I was good at what I did. Helping me to understand myself as a person and helping me change the way I felt about myself was priceless and I know I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for all the coaches that I have worked with over the years. Decide what you want to work on and then find a coach that works in that area.
8. Attend workshops and seminars
Over the past few years I have completed various qualifications such as coaching, NLP and personality profiling but I have also invested in attending workshops and seminars that again have really helped me work on my mindset and help me to learn new information and skills to help me as a human being. You also get to meet some wonderful people who you stay in contact with and are on the same path as you (see point 6 above).
9. Create your dream life in pictures and words
When you are feeling unfulfilled and doubting yourself and your own abilities you can struggle to imagine what you want life to look like. So getting clear on what you want is the first step and then I create vision boards (I have one for my life and one for my business) and fill it with words and pictures that help you connect to what you want to create in your life. The each day take some time to connect with your vision and then it helps you take the steps to making it become your reality.
10. Commit to working on yourself every day
We can get caught up in the busy trap and believe we can't find time for personal development but the truth is if we don't work to build a strong mindset then it becomes weak, like our physical muscles if we don't exercise. To build muscle we need to do some physical exercise and not just once but over and over again but the truth is, you can't just build the muscle and then expect it to stay there. So just imagine that your mindset is just another muscle that needs to have a daily workout. I have shared so many different tools so just start small. Pick one that you want to try and commit to doing it daily. But I have to warn you, doing this stuff over an extended period of time will change your mindset and may make you more happy.
If you have found this blog useful please feel free to share it with your team, your colleagues or friends and family who you think might benefit.
Until next time.
T x