Our mindset has a lot to do with our thoughts and feelings. When dealing with an extended period of unhappiness or feeling stuck in our lives, our natural inclination is to find a way to change it. Often, this results in an attempt to transform external forces in order to create the change we’re after. We buy things we think will make us happy, travel to escape our problems or find inspiration, or address our diet and workout regimen to attain more beauty.
While these things can provide a sense of relief or fulfillment for a time, the happiness they offer ultimately fades—and we end up back where we started, wrestling with the same discontented feelings as before.
The reason for this is rooted in a false assumption: believing that change and transformation is found somewhere outside of ourselves. While our environment and external circumstances do play a role in our happiness, they don’t get to the root cause of why we felt unhappy in the first place. That root cause is your mindset.
Why Your Mindset Matters—More Than You Think
Our thoughts and mindset have an enormous impact on every part of our lives—from your levels of confidence and happiness, to how you deal with stress, learn new information, and react in the face of adversity. Many of us are unconsciously living through the lens of a negative mindset that keeps us trapped in thoughts, behaviors and habits that don’t serve us, and actually keep us from finding the fulfillment we desire the most.
In order to create a genuine, positive change in any part of our lives—whether it’s our relationships, career, or finances—it’s essential to realize that it all starts in our mind. Our thoughts directly impact how we feel, which directly impacts how we behave—and how we behave ultimately defines what we experience in life.
The good news is, we all have the opportunity to actively choose the mindset we put on every day. By learning about the different ways you can practice shifting your mindset from one of negativity to abundance, you can become empowered to finally make the changes you want most in your life and find lasting fulfillment.
Shifting to an Abundance Mindset
The first step in shifting to an abundance mindset is becoming aware of your thoughts. If you regularly engage with thoughts of how you’re a failure and aren’t capable of reaching your goals, you’re subconsciously teaching your mind to believe this to be true. In order to change this, you have to practice recognizing when negative thoughts enter your mind.
It’s important to remember to be kind to yourself in the process of becoming aware of your negative thoughts. For most of us, negative thought patterns are deeply ingrained for years or even decades, and learning to notice and redirect them is not something that happens overnight.
However, with time and practice, you can train your mind to replace negative thoughts with positive, empowering thoughts—just like training a muscle at the gym. As you teach yourself to become conscious of what thoughts you give your attention to, you’ll notice just how powerful your thoughts really are.
Use Daily Affirmations
A practical way to begin the work of adopting an abundance mindset is to incorporate daily affirmations into your routine. Affirmations or mantras are phrases that you repeat to yourself everyday to remind yourself of the positive thoughts you want to embody. Every time you use your affirmations, you plant the seeds of a mindset that chooses hope and joy. Any time you devote to this practice is like watering those seeds and giving them the nourishment and care they need to grow.
With dedicated practice and a commitment to showing up for yourself, living life from an abundance mindset will become second nature to you. For more insights on manifesting an abundance mindset, check out this visual to learn actionable examples of daily affirmations you can start incorporating into your routine. You don’t need anything to start other than a decision to create the change you want most from the inside out!
Author Bio
Sophie writes on behalf of Credit Repair about finance and productivity. Specifically, she is interested in removing the barriers of complicated financial topics and teaching financial literacy in a way that is accessible to all. Her most recent piece is on seven important lessons for teaching kids about credit.
