By Jennifer Landis | Posted: December 24, 2019
With the new year comes a new sense of optimism and hope. Many make resolutions to lose weight, save money or earn a promotion. However, there's typically no plan to accomplish these goals. So year after year, people either beat themselves up for failing at their New Year’s resolutions, or use their failure as a springboard for growth the following year.
What most don't realize is that their mindset, not their ability, is holding them back. These contrasting fixed and growth mindsets govern our behavior when they don't actually achieve what they set out to do. So, naturally, the only way to succeed is to change our mindset. Here's how you can greet the year with a growth mindset, so that you can make a lasting change.
1. Become self-aware
The first step to growth is recognizing where you are right now. This will help you determine where exactly you want to end up and, therefore, how best to get there. But, before you start your journey, you must take time to examine your present mindset. How do you react when you make a mistake? Could you be more gracious to yourself? Are you approaching situations with a fixed mindset? Think about how you might reframe your mindset to encourage growth.
2. Make space for yourself
Self-examination and subsequent improvement take time. It’s essential to create space for yourself to learn and grow. Wake up early to spend time alone in quiet meditation, or maybe journal your thoughts every evening. This space and time to think and breathe will be very useful when you begin striving to reach your goals.
3. Set actionable goals
Once you realize where you are and where you'd like to be, write out your personal goals. Just remember to keep them realistic. For instance, instead of creating a broad, immeasurable goal like "lose weight," focus on creating smaller, more specific goals you can easily achieve. "Lose five pounds this month" or "eat a piece of fruit every day" are much easier goals to measure, allowing you to observe your growth over time. They will also keep you motivated, especially in the beginning, when change is more complicated and foreign.
4. Develop healthier habits
Once you make space for yourself to grow and establish goals, you can begin to develop healthy habits. Incorporating a healthy routine like yoga or breathwork into your everyday life will set you up for success and make reaching goals much more manageable. Because, after some time, habits become automatic actions. So, as long as you commit to doing something — and do it every day — you'll be well on your way to success.
5. Celebrate growth
The journey to a better you will be full of ups and downs, but it's up to you to decide what you’ll focus on. Instead of putting emphasis on your failures and punishing yourself when you fall short, choose to celebrate your successes. Look back and see how far you've come and try to sincerely appreciate your growth. Even if you haven't yet reached your goal, celebrating small milestones will keep you motivated and foster a positive mindset.
6. Remember that there’s always room for improvement
While this may be good news to some, others may assume that this phrase translates into inevitable failure. But improvement is a positive thing, a step in the right direction. Failure only happens when you take a step backwards or remain unchanged. So, embrace the journey to a better you, and realize that improvement is a success in and of itself. Let that be enough to inspire you to reach your goals.
7. Stay on the learning curve
Growth mindsets most readily form early in life when you are still attending school and learning something new each day. But you can still develop the capacity to learn, even after leaving the academic world. Use your failures and feedback to learn from your mistakes and improve. Your errors are just as significant as your successes on your journey to achieve your goals.
8. Employ the power of “yet”
Sometimes you will come across a challenge you simply cannot overcome. You can't afford to pay off your debt right now, or you can't afford to join a yoga studio — yet. Changing your mindset from "can't" to "can't yet" can have a lasting impact on your ability to work through solutions and stay motivated. Furthermore, this rephrasing allows you the chance to go back and focus on overcoming this challenge later on.
9. Reflect often
As you begin the new year, you will likely reflect on the events of the last. Can you see your growth, or have you stayed stagnant? Sometimes, it's hard to tell. But, as you establish goals and strive to accomplish them, you should be able to reflect on your efforts and see growth. Maybe you go back and read old journal entries or social media posts documenting your progress. Reflect on how you've changed for the better, and let your progress motivate you.
10. Do it for yourself
In the end, the only way to truly develop a long-lasting growth mindset is to do it for yourself. Be better for your own sake. Then, naturally, others will appreciate the change for what it is. Remember, you're the only one you need to impress, so focus on doing just that.
Moreover, fight the temptation to compare yourself to others. Doing so only hinders your growth. Either you perceive others are enjoying more success than you and you become discouraged or pride gets the best of you and you believe you're better than those around you, thus preventing growth.
Above all, use this journey to embrace who you truly are. Pretending to be someone you're not disrespects your unique personality and diminishes all that you have to offer. Once you accept yourself in all your failures and victories, you'll likely be more driven to pursue your goals and, therein, develop a growth mindset.
Jennifer Landis is a writer and blogger at Mindfulness Mama. She enjoys yoga, red wine, and drinking all the tea she can find. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.
