There is power in positive thinking. It influences your mood and essentially the way you feel. Imagine now what kind of power there is in growth-oriented thinking in your life.In this blog post, we will explore the empowering advantages of developing the growth mindset, and how this transformative perspective can unlock the doors to continuous learning, personal development, and a life filled with boundless possibilities in your life as a woman.

What is the growth mindset?

Growth mindset was popularised by psychologist Carol Dweck through her research and book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” (you can find a link to her Ted Talk at the end of this post). To summarise this book in one sentence, people with a growth mindset believe that their basic qualities are not fixed traits but can be cultivated and expanded with effort.

The opposite concept is the fixed mindset. In this case, the belief is that you are what you are, and you are born with certain characteristics and limitations, hence not possible to change. People with the fixed mindset believe that their traits are predetermined and cannot be significantly improved or developed, and there is little room for growth when it comes to their skills, intelligence, and talents.

I am sure you believe it’s quite good as it is, and you have acquired the most knowledge you’ve ever had in your life. And indeed, that is true! However, considering our constant evolution, would you be happy with remaining as you are now without any changes?

Chances are that if you already adopted the growth mindset, the answer to this question would be a resounding “NO!”, because not only do you know how much you know, but mostly because of this fact, you are also painfully aware of how much you DON’T know yet. There is also a concept of the unknown unknown – things or knowledge that we are not aware of and, furthermore, are unaware that we are not aware of them. This is what inspires humility and open-mindedness in me.

Knowing what you know about yourself and the world now probably also prompts some reflections. I’m thinking now that I’ve been through a lot and learned a bunch from it. I also remember feeling that way a decade ago. And from the time perspective, I look at this younger self thinking “Girl, it’s good you went through life charging like a tank with confidence because there sure wasn’t much in your head to support that”. It might be harsh, but I also find it very humbling.

In ten years from now, I will be looking at myself as of right now and wishing I knew certain things sooner. But we need to accept that everything comes to us at the right time, and we can handle only what life has already prepared us for.

Benefits of adopting the growth mindset

Whether you are driven by a thirst for knowledge, find yourself immersed in diverse interests, or simply enjoy casual reading of books, articles, and other content to enrich your perspectives and wisdom, developing the growth mindset is something everyone can benefit from. These benefits include:

• Nurturing your curiosity – By believing in the potential for growth and improvement, individuals are more likely to venture into exploring new ideas. They also think creatively beyond their comfort zones.

• Becoming more resilient – It will make you fear failure less and will give you a better sense of control of your actions and thoughts. This, in turn, can alleviate anxiety and enhance emotional resilience.

• Fostering self-interest – as you find yourself becoming more interesting, others will, too. By feeling engaging to yourself, you will also boost your self-confidence and become more captivating to others.

• Inspiring others – You will improve relationships by encouraging others and offering them support. In effect, it will also inspire you in return and give you a positive ‘kick’ to keep going.

• Widening your horizons – By improving your adaptability, you empower yourself to step into more responsible roles. And as you act on that, your leadership qualities will naturally evolve and advance.

Your way towards the growth mindset

Now that we understand what the growth mindset entails and what are its benefits, let’s get into the gist of this post. Let’s see how to gradually adopt it and seamlessly integrate it into our lives. Here are some steps toward this process:

Self-awareness

Always inspect yourself, what, where in the body and why you are feeling something. Try to identify your patterns and address the ones you are not happy with. Reflect on your current perception about your beliefs and potential. Get rid of limiting negative self-talk and recognise what you have rather than what you are lacking. Identify the areas where you have a fixed mindset and strive to avoid it next time.

Openness to challenges

Life has its ups and downs, and in such moments, you have two choices. You can either feel downhearted and demotivated because something didn’t quite work out as you wanted it to. OR you can view it as an opportunity to learn something new and emerge stronger, wiser, and more improved. Embracing challenges can nurture resilience and perseverance within you.

Mindfulness

By practising mindfulness, you can become more attuned to your body and gain heightened awareness of your thoughts and emotions. This practice can assist you in recognizing negative or fixed mindset thinking patterns and replacing them with growth-oriented thoughts.

Learning from the negative thoughts

Notice and acknowledge negative thoughts before they spiral out of control. Transform them into positive ones, responding to negativity with three uplifting affirmations.

Learning from setbacks

Treat setbacks as valuable learning experiences. Embrace them as lessons learned.

Lifelong learning

Education doesn’t end upon graduating from school or college; rather, it is a lifelong process. Cultivate curiosity for acquiring new knowledge and remain open to acquiring new skills. Engage in various activities such as reading books, enrolling in courses, and attending workshops. Be it delving into the world of herbs, exploring the art of pottery painting, or embracing the thrill of rock climbing. Learn how to spend time alone to free time for your personal improvement.

Inspiring surroundings

Surround yourself with individuals who have also are developing the growth mindset. We are the average of the few closest people in our life. If our closest friends are complaining, have a sense of entitlement, and display limiting beliefs, it becomes challenging to cultivate a different way of thinking.

Loving the process

View your effort as a means to reach a better place, rather than a burden reminding you of lacking certain skills. Acknowledge your effort and fall in love with the process of self-improvement.

Patience

Be patient with yourself and your progress, even if it seems slow. Every step forward, no matter how small, is a victory. Avoid expecting overnight success and remember that no progress goes up in a straight line!

Conclusion

It is clear that there is power in positive thinking and its influence on our mood and overall well-being. However, the real empowerment lies in embracing a growth mindset and you can do this empowerment from within yourself, starting today. Developing the growth mindset can change your life. Through this new perspective, unlock the doors to continuous learning, personal development, and boundless possibilities in our lives as women.

Embracing the growth mindset unlocks boundless possibilities. Cultivate resilience, foster curiosity, and inspire yourself and others. Practice mindfulness, surround yourself with like-minded individuals, and celebrate every step forward. The journey of self-improvement is exciting and transformative. It is time to embrace it with enthusiasm and excitement!

How will you embark on your journey of curiosity?

Feel free to explore the list of books I recommend here on the blog. You might find something there that will get you started!

Recommended book:

Recommended next post to read:

WHY THOUGHTS THRIVE IN YOUR MIND

10 THINGS MEN LOVE IN WOMEN THAT WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE

Recommended meditations:

MEDITATIONS WITH AFFIRMATIONS

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Link to Ted Talk by Carol Dweck – The power of believing that you can improve