Why Mindset Matters: Reframing Your Brain

According to psychologist Carol Dweck, there are two types of mindsets. A fixed mindset and a growth mindset. She explains that someone with a fixed mindset believes their basic qualities are fixed, their talent level can never change and that this alone creates success or failure. They don’t believe in making any effort either way. Often, someone with a fixed mindset will find themselves thinking: “I am either good at something, or I never will be,” which is an incredibly limiting belief.

Someone with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believes they can build upon their basic abilities through dedication and hard work. They see their talents as a starting point to continue learning and growing, which is essential for success. A growth mindset is the key to unlocking your potential and meeting your higher self.

If you feel like you may be stuck in a fixed mindset, the good news is that you can develop a growth mindset through inner healing. 

Before shifting your mindset, you first need to acknowledge where you are right now. What is the little voice in your head saying? How is it talking to you? Is it full of negative self-talk? What thoughts and limiting beliefs are currently blocking you? 

Once you are honest with yourself and identify what thought patterns are keeping you in a fixed mindset. Once they’re identified it’s easier to release yourself from the negativity. My preferred way to achieve this is by starting with shadow work. We all have parts of ourselves buried, but unless we peer in and examine our darker sides, we won’t understand what actions we need to take to allow ourselves to grow. 

Shadow work is all about honouring how you actually feel. Instead of suppressing your emotions with fake positivity, it’s about digging deep, allowing whatever needs to come up to be present before emptying yourself of anything that no longer serves you. Once the space is clear, you can fill it with positivity, growth and light. This is how you can go from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

There are many ways you can approach shadow work release. I like to start by making my environment feel sacred and safe with a smoke cleanse, lighting candles and carefully choosing crystals to aid whatever healing I feel called to do. Once settled, I drop into meditation and breathwork. I imagine thick, black smoke leaving my nose with every exhalation and bright, white light entering with every inhalation. If you struggle to imagine this yourself, I highly recommend trying a guided meditation specifically targeting shadow work and creating a better mindset.

I pause the meditation once I feel empty of negativity and immediately start writing a gratitude list. Reframing your brain to focus on all you already have creates an abundance mindset that will naturally bring in more opportunities for growth. Plus, writing about things you’re grateful for will boost your mood! I also note what I would like to accomplish with a sense of detachment – this removes any emotional pressure that may creep in from a fixed mindset limiting beliefs. 

Many believe that growth is about pushing yourself beyond your limits to achieve more. However, I am not one to subscribe to the grind or hustle culture. Instead, I think true growth starts with inner healing, being honest with yourself and facing your shadows.

The meditation and journaling method I have outlined above are a great way to get started on your journey by removing any roadblocks that are in your way. If you focus on building a growth mindset first, the rest will follow.