Are you living up to your full potential, maintaining complete control over your mind, actions, and outcomes? If not, what is it that’s holding you back? Women now have more opportunities than ever before, and it doesn’t stop at the ballot. We are business owners, idols, role models for other women, and as Beyonce’ would say, “strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business.”
So why is it that we are always so hard on ourselves? Why are we so forgiving and nurturing toward others, yet critical and begrudging of our own flaws?
There are 3 steps you can take to initiate growth and strengthen your mindset.
Learn to Cope with Negative Thoughts
Instead of spending your time daydreaming and waiting around for happiness to come to you, alter your mental state by changing the way you think, and adjust your attitude now. If you wish to attract positivity, you have to start your day with that same energy. If you had a particularly bad day, don’t allow it to follow you into the morning.
Instead, practice gratitude and try to focus on how thankful you are to have received another day, and another chance to make it a great one.
It’s definitely easy to get caught up in something that someone else said or did that might have impacted your mood. Whatever the issue may be, don’t let it get you down! Know that you are a confident, strong, smart, and unique individual with plenty to offer the world.
Use negativity as a boost, a motivator that pushes you to get what you want like the powerful woman you know that you are. Don’t fixate on things that are beyond your control, accept them, and continue to push forward. Think positive!
Surround Yourself Around Positive, Supportive People
Your social circle, family, and the community of people that you choose to have in your life will most certainly have an impact on your thoughts and actions. Maybe you’re having a great week and then get around that one person who always seems to have some kind of drama in their own life.
No matter how well you seem to be doing, someone else’s constant gossiping and complaining will eventually rub off on you.
While you can’t exactly up and remove family members from your life, you can limit the time you spend around them and anyone else who brings around trouble. Misery loves company, and no matter where you try to take the conversation, the other person will want you to feel bad with them. Look for friends and acquaintances that are doing just as well, if not better than you are; perhaps spend more time with a person who has already accomplished a goal that you’d like to achieve.
Be like those who you admire, and do your best to soak up as much of their mindset as possible.
Don’t Just Think About It, Do It!
Having a positive mindset and successful individuals around you definitely make a difference in the outcome of your personal power, but you have to take action on your own accord. Start a daily routine for yourself, starting and beginning each day with a personal mantra.
There are no concrete rules for this practice, you’re simply “speaking into existence” the things that you want. For example, you could say, “I am powerful, feminine, intelligent, and I will succeed in ___________ today.”
Be specific, if you’re saving up for a car, working hard toward health goals, or pitching a promotion and a salary bump for yourself, include that in your mantra. Create a plan through SMART goals, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Saying what you want out loud will only get you so far; you need to have a realistic path to success if you truly want to get where you’re going.
When things get tough, learn how to lean on the supportive people in your life. Women who have endured the same struggles that you have and come out on top can offer some of their feminine power to you.
Listen to them, follow their lead, and keep your chin held high on the bad days!