What you give your attention to expands. That is something I sincerely believe. Do you?
I want to adopt a growth attitude, and I’m willing to bet that you do as well.
We get to choose what we think. If we realise that it is not helping us, we have the option to modify it.
The other day when I woke up, a phrase was already running through my thoughts. Because I couldn’t place a reason for why it was running through my head, I had to jot it down and then investigate it. Those were the words…
“What we think about, we bring about,” so the saying goes.
Consider the content of your thoughts right now.
Then I was forced to pause and reflect on the things that I had been ruminating on recently …lol! It struck me like a tonne of bricks.
Instantaneously, I realised why I had been thinking about those particular words. To tell you the truth, I have had some recent thoughts that aren’t all that fantastic. If I want to develop both personally and professionally, I need to rid myself of my faulty thinking, and this incident served as a reminder of that fact.
Do you ever just let something fester and then work it over and over in your mind until pretty soon that negative thought can become all-consuming and puts a taint on the way you view other things that come into your world? If so, do you ever just let it fester and then work it over and over again in your mind?
The mind is a formidable instrument!
Whatever you give your attention to, more of it will grow.
We have the ability to fill our minds with things that lead to a life that is fraught with anxiety, bitterness, fear, envy, procrastination, a lack of courage or confidence, and a contented acceptance of whatever the day offers us. Or, we can choose to fill our minds with things that will result in living a life that gives us more agency, working with courage towards our goals, and building self-confidence.
It is of the utmost significance that the content of our thinking life corresponds to the things that we wish to cultivate. That implies exercising self-control over the content of our thoughts.
When I was a parent, I would always caution my children to be careful about the things that they allowed into their minds.
Don’t let other people’s bad beliefs or opinions influence you; I’m sure you don’t want to “grow garbage” in the world or in your life, so keep those thoughts out of your head. You are in control, pal.
Ways to hone in on the areas in which you wish to see expansion
A Board With A Vision
For a good number of years, I’ve been making vision boards. It’s possible that some of you will find it unsettling, but I find that the visual signals help me adjust my mind. It is quite beneficial for me to picture the goals that I am working toward, and the majority of them are not focused on acquiring material things.
Written Goals
In addition to creating a vision board, I also take the time each year to sit down and write down my goals.
If you write down your goals, you are 42 percent more likely to achieve them, as stated in an article published by Forbes, which can be found here.
The Art of Mental Training
When you’ve decided what you want to cultivate, the next step is to zero in on the factors that will help you achieve that goal.
Read novels that will build you up and encourage you. Switch on Your Brain is the name of the book that I am currently reading, and it was written by Dr. Caroline Leaf. In her research, she focuses on cognitive neuroscience. She writes on the ways in which people think and the effect that thinking has on the things that people say and do.
Neuroplasticity is a subject of research for Dr. Leaf. The term “neuroplasticity” refers to the brain’s ability to change and mould itself. According to the findings of Dr. Leaf’s research, our mental activity might create physical changes in the brain. Whatever we focus our attention on the most will expand, regardless of whether that focus is favourable or harmful.
- Make it a habit to listen to podcasts that are not just uplifting and inspiring but also congruent with the way you see the world and the objectives you want to accomplish.
- You should begin keeping a gratitude diary in which you only record things that are positive and things that bring you joy. When you focus your attention on what is wonderful and uplifting in the world, it is quite difficult to maintain a negative frame of mind.
Because we are subjected to such a high volume of detrimental input, we frequently have challenges placed in our way. There is a possibility that some of us have some negative recollections as a result of the experiences that we have gone through. We have no control over the fact that these things have taken place, but we do have the ability to generate new thoughts that are neither detrimental nor toxic to the life that we wish to live.
Gardening is the first thing that comes to mind whenever I consider expansion. In order for my garden to flourish, I need to start by planting seeds, after which I need concentrate on it and make sure it has everything it requires, such as water. In addition to that, I need to pull out the weeds so that the plants have room to expand, flower, and flourish.
Now, using that illustration as an example, if you want to grow “for example, another stream of revenue,” you are going to need to plant that seed in your mind and do whatever is necessary to make that seed grow. In order for the seed to develop, blossom, and be successful, you are going to have to clear your mind of any “weeds” that may be there.
Set boundaries.
Establish parameters for what you will let occupy valuable space in your thoughts, and stick to them.
If you allow toxic individuals or situations into your life, it will impede your growth. Poisonous chemicals are what we mean when we talk about toxic ones. You are dealing with toxicity if, after leaving a talk or scrolling through your newsfeed, you feel emotionally drained or fatigued. This can be a sign that the other person is toxic as well.
If you believe what Mark Twain said in this quote and acknowledge that your mind is where you spend the most of your time, then you should ask yourself why you would let toxicity into your life.
Stop doing it!
You hold the authority to bring about the desired outcome.
There are some situations in which it might be exceedingly challenging to be able to entirely separate oneself from a person who is poisonous to one’s well-being. Make an effort to address your concerns while maintaining a kind attitude. If it does not work, you should drastically reduce the amount of contact you have.
Concluding Remarks
These are trying and testing times that we find ourselves living in. Things in life aren’t quite ideal right now. It’s possible that you have a valid reason to be pessimistic or disheartened. It’s possible that you need to experience such feelings, but you should do your best to limit the amount of time you spend feeling sorry for yourself. I want you to know that I am in no way trying to minimise what you are going through or the feelings that you are having. However, it is risky to allow oneself to become mired in a pessimistic frame of mind. That will result in absolutely no positive outcomes.
The following is a translation of a passage from the Bible that is my all-time favourite and comes from it:
“You’ll do best by occupying your brains and meditating on things that are truthful, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, and gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”
These remarks were written by a man whose name is Paul. When he authored these remarks, he was not doing them while relaxing on a beach or huddled in front of a warm fire. He was behind bars! Just consider all of the possible thoughts that were running through his head at the time. He was undoubtedly hungry, unclean, lonely, sad, and possibly depressed; nonetheless, he chose to write words of encouragement rather than complaints because he realised, even back then, the impact that our ideas can have on our lives.
If you want to be successful with a growth mindset, you need to begin by paying attention to the types of thoughts and ideas that you allow to take up space in your mind.
