I have a question for you. Is your inner voice a best friend or is it more of a bully? If things are going really well in your life, if you just achieved one of your goals, or if you just received positive feedback, you may find that your inner voice is cheering you on and is your biggest supporter. But what happens when things get tough? What happens when you make a mistake, or something stressful happens? What happens when you hear something that hurts your feelings or takes a jab at your ego at work or at home? Having an empowering mindset is one of the best ways to level up your happiness and success and it also can be one of the best forms of self-care out there. So, how can you move in the direction of having an inner voice that is not only your guide but also your biggest advocate?
Step One: Don’t take all of your thoughts so seriously. Recognize that you don’t need to believe all your thoughts. Just because something passes through your mind, does not make it true. Many thoughts can be lies or just complete nonsense while others can be one out of many potential ways to interpret a situation or event. While some thoughts can be facts, many are not. With this realization comes freedom. If you feel stuck, one question that can be helpful to ask yourself is, “How can I view this in a way that is more empowering for me?”
Step Two: Embrace a growth mindset. When you focus on learning and growing, setbacks and challenges can become opportunities. You can put your time and energy into the solution, instead of getting stuck in the problem. With this perspective, feedback becomes easier to receive and you can take the pressure off of yourself, recognizing that all of the parts of your journey are helping you become more of who you aspire to be. I expand on this in my keynote, Embrace a Growth Mindset: Leadership Development, Team Building and Creating a Culture of Excellence.
Step Three: Let go of striving for perfection and instead focus on improvement. Expecting yourself or others to be perfect is a surefire way to lead to disappointment and frustration. Instead of aiming for perfection just focus on doing the best you can, giving yourself room to grow and get better. This is a topic that I discuss in my keynote, Find Your Imperfect Happy, where I talk about how to make the moments in your work and life high-quality moments.
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Disclaimer: This content purely represents the opinion of the author and is not medical advice or treatment recommendations. Always talk to your healthcare provider about recommendations specific to you.
Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert and TEDx speaker with a mission of supporting companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success & well-being. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel provides strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive peak performance, profitability and a culture of excellence.
