5 Tips to Change your Way of Thinking
Every now and then, we all go through a phase where we need to reinvent ourselves or revamp our life. Sometimes we wait for that "aha moment" to happen any day. I recently went through a phase where I was hoping and praying that my mind would change, but I wasn’t doing any work to change it. I want to share a few tips and words of advice with you all on some things that help change my mind.
1. Books and Podcasts - I’ve always enjoyed reading, but it was mainly for entertainment purposes. I love to read about other people‘s drama and sometimes it’s a nice escape from reality. But in wanting to change my mindset, I started to think maybe I should read books on this topic. I also got into Podcasts like earlier this year, maybe late last year, but this was also for entertainment purposes. So I thought the same thing, why not look for podcasts that pertain to me and my situation. After reading and listening to things to that gave advice on moving forward and accepting life‘s challenges, I started to feel better about things. I started to view things differently and my perspective begin to change on life. I also started to listen to podcasts in the morning as I got dressed and on my way to work.... instead of listening to music. This set the tone for my day and it started my day on a positive note. I think we need to take more responsibility for what we feed our minds and our souls. One book I started reading is The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav, very good book! It made me view myself and my actions differently. One podcast that I am loving is called "Blessed and Bossed Up" by Tatum Tamia.
2.Get Intentional about What you Want - It is so important to understand what it is that you want in life and what you want to do with your life. Some people need more time than others to figure out what their purpose is in life and there is nothing wrong with that. But you need to figure out what direction you need to go in, in order to fulfill your purpose. Some of us make the mistake of thinking that "our purpose" is just going to fall in our lap one day out of thin air. But it is up to you to figure out how you’re going to move forward. In relation to the books and podcasts that I have been reading and listening to, they are teaching me how to focus my mind on learning the things that are needed fulfilll my purpose. For example, I have been listening to podcasts that talk about successful blogs, entrepreneurship, and things that pertain to my interest. I am learning from the podcasts and I feel more confident and comfortable about pursuing my writing full-time. I am also feeling more comfortable about building a brand because I am learning what it takes to make it happen. Sometimes we get lazy and think that things are just either going to happen for us or somebody else is going to help us figure it out. Remember that no one can help you when they don’t know what you need help with. Get intentional and focus only on what you want to know and learn.
3. Focus on yourself - This is definitely easier said than done. We get so caught up in the lives of others, family, friends, marriages/relationships, our children, work etc., we often forget about ourselves and what we need. Sometimes we need to regroup and rejuvenate, but you cannot do this if you are sucked into the lives of others. This was something that I had to learn because I used to pride myself on the fact that no one could say that I had not been there for them. I used to pride myself on being that one person that you could call at 2 AM and I would answer the phone. This is not to say that I will not be there for those who need me, but I have made myself less available to others. I am even more conscious of other people's energy and how their energy affects mine. I cannot be the best person that I can be if I am weighed down by the drama and negativity of others. Self-care is so important and it does not happen often enough. If you want to change your mindset, you must focus on who you are, how you’re feeling, and how things are affecting you.
4. Prayer/Spirituality - This one is pretty self explanatory. If you believe in a higher power or God, be open to receive signs and blessings. People block their own blessings all the time by what they say. "That'll never happen for me", "I'll never be happy", that is exactly what you receive because you've put it out there to the universe. Pray for what you need. Pray for what you want. Pray that you're open to receive blessings. Pray for patience. Let the higher power lead you!
5. Counseling - I know some of yall like "Oooohhhh what?!! Nope, not doing that", but hear me out. Therapists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrist, etc. were put on Earth for a reason. While I encourage prayer, sometimes it is not enough. Sometimes you can't pull it all together alone and that's okay. Too many people suffer with problems and mental illness in silence. These professionals are not trying to "get in your business", they're trying to improve your way of thinking. Counseling helped me through one of the roughest times in my life. In fact, I worked on things that I did not originally enter counseling for. If you are feeling stuck, getting help may be the answer.
I hope these tips help you just as much as they helped me. I am at such an amazing point right now. Not because everything is perfect, but because my thinking and perspective has changed!
What have you done to help change your situation?
Check out my YouTube video on these 5 tips: