Mindset, intuition and effecting change
The foundation of how we experience this world is our mindset. Depending on our perspectives, values, and beliefs, we may experience the same events and yet understand and respond to them in different ways. Our mindset can be changed, which is exciting because it means we can evolve. Our core beliefs about life are something we can examine and possibly change. We don't have to remain in our current situation.
To kick off International Stress Awareness Week, my special podcast guest was Intuitive Mindset Mentor, Brianna Figliuzzi. She is passionate about her work as a mindset mentor because of her own past experiences. About two years ago, she experienced a complete spiritual awakening that marked the beginning of a confusing and difficult period in her life.
Brianna began to meditate, journal, and pursue her interests in the metaphysical field.
At the time, those were the things she could think of to help herself move through her difficulties. Brianna studied numerology and astrology. She learned how to call in these energies to communicate efficiently, open up her intuition, and receive clear messages. And she learned how to hold energetic space for herself and her clients.
“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”
- Oprah Winfrey
Working with an adaptable and inquisitive attitude positively impacted both my journey through mental distress and my ability to manage chronic pain. Mindset is such an important part of overcoming distress. When you change your perspective, it can deeply empower you and put choices back into your hands. At the same time, an inquisitive attitude and a strong intuition can guide you in becoming aware of your thinking and beliefs. This is where profound change and healing takes place.
What is mindset?
Your mindset is a collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape who you are and how you view the world. In any given situation, it influences your ideas, feelings, and behaviors. It means that how you perceive yourself can affect your strengths and weaknesses and how you approach your life.
Your attitudes can affect how you act in a variety of life circumstances. For instance, as you face various scenarios, your mind engages in a particular belief pattern, which then directly affects how you behave in that circumstance.
Many people mistakenly believe that having a positive mindset means that you have to suffer through things. A positive attitude can help you find a way to view things from a different angle. It can also help you better understand your circumstances and find solutions or ways to go forward. Mindset is not about punishing yourself. It is about trusting yourself and your abilities to thrive.
In general, mindsets can be seen as fixed and growth. With a fixed mindset, people see certain traits as unchangeable, which ultimately means they see certain life situations and outcomes as unchangeable. With a growth mindset, people see traits and abilities as fluid and learnable. This means situations can be improved and it is possible to increase or change traits and abilities with time and effort. People can definitely have both fixed and growth mindsets, depending on a particular situation. You might see your approach to math as fixed, yet approach your business with flexibility.
Mindset and Mental Health
In essence, you need to believe you can make changes before those changes can be made. This also applies to specific things you may want to change, like your physical or mental wellbeing. Psychology studies have shown that our beliefs about our capacities and potential are indicators of future outcomes, including happiness.
Here is a bit more on mindsets and how they relate to mental wellbeing. People who have a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence, talents, and attitudes are unchangeable, inborn characteristics. They believe that we cannot gradually increase our ability level, which is fixed at birth. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe your personality, IQ, and skills are unchangeable and unalterable. This mindset might appear in thinking we have no control over our future success and wellbeing.
When you have a growth mindset, you look at failure as an opportunity to learn and improve rather than as a method to define who you are. You welcome challenges as opportunities. You believe your intelligence can grow along with your skills. For instance, we can believe that putting in more effort and enhancing our abilities will result in happiness. According to research, having a growth mindset might help people manage stress and difficulties better and boost wellness.
Think about how things might be different if you adopt a growth mindset. Would you approach your physical and mental wellbeing in a way that is more solution-oriented? If you believed your skills and abilities could change and improve, would that help you reach for higher goals and give you more self-confidence? Would a growth mindset let you see life as a place full of opportunities, rather than struggles and difficulties?
Intuitive Mindset Mentoring
Working with a mindset mentor can help you discover limiting beliefs that are preventing you from realizing your potential and leading a fulfilling life. This can happen even in the first few sessions of working with your mentor. There is some inner work to complete before taking steps to pursue your goals and there is no shortcut around this step. It is essential for you to develop a solid grasp of who you are and how you experience the world. This will help you set genuine goals that fulfill you and ensure you are following your authentic path.
Your mentor will likely spend some time exploring your thought patterns and helping you remove limiting beliefs that don't benefit you. This creates room for new ideas, life skills, and patterns to emerge, leading to profound breakthroughs. With the help of these new, beneficial patterns, you can start moving in the direction of your goals.
Mindset mentors can also help you promote and maintain a healthy work-life balance, reduce the impact of work stress on your life, and suggest self-care practices to support your physical and mental wellbeing. A supportive and nurturing environment as well as a solid plan for maintaining your mental health are the foundation of realizing your full potential.
In addition, your work with your mentor might include positive daily affirmations, meditation, and grounding practices. A disconnect between your mind and body could cause experiences like anxiety and stress. Your mentor will help you reconnect and align yourself, so you can recenter your body, regain control, and build a safe space to grow from.
The Takeaway
Mindset plays a huge role in how you manage daily life. It can also become pivotal in how you move through stress, anxiety, and traumatic experiences. Becoming aware of possible negative thought patterns and beliefs can help you change them and open the door to a life full of possibilities. Making those changes can be a difficult process and that’s where a mindset mentor can help.
A good mindset mentor can suggest practices and approaches that support you in your journey of reaching your goals. They may challenge you on certain beliefs and patterns, to ensure you can break through them and replace them with more positive and helpful beliefs. If you feel like you might be stuck in a situation and need change, a mindset mentor could be a great first step.
Keep in mind that without an implicit or explicit decision to change, you will have a hard time changing anything. Often, people are not aware that something needs to change. Or, they may not know where to start. Working with a mindset mentor can help you make sense of your experiences and maybe see your situation through a new perspective.
Your mindset could be the thing that helps or hinders you in life.
Becoming aware of how you think, feel, and behave can tell you a lot about your mindset and whether it is a driving force or a stumbling block for you. I am a huge believer in “growth mindset” and that we are all capable of changing and growing.
So, dream big and believe in the fact that what is today does not have to determine what will be tomorrow!
Raymond, I. (2016, November 11). How to boost your wellbeing - the benefits of a growth mindset. Psychlopaedia. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://psychlopaedia.org/learning-and-development/how-to-boost-your-wellbeing-the-benefits-of-a-growth-mindset/
The influence of growth mindset on the mental health and life events of college students. (2022, April 14). NCBI. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9046553/
Turner, K. (2021, July 29). Mindset: the foundation of your mental health. Alleviant Health Centers. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://alleviant.com/mindset-the-foundation-of-your-mental-health/
https://thejornipodcast.com/episode-26-intuitive-mindset-mentoring-with-brianna-figliuzzi
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