What is a Mindset?

As a mindset coach I am often asked what is meant when we say the word "mindset"?

Put simply and in my own words, a mindset is a pattern of thoughts and beliefs that each person holds. Sometimes those are positive, other times they may be negative. 

The idea of mindset isn't a new one. It's been around the coaching community for a long time. The resurgence of the topic as it relates to coaching may have happened during the recent pandemic. The reason I believe that is because when we were all home and in "lockdown" many of us saw our mental health take a hit. This also affected people's mindsets. 

Let me tell you a story. When the pandemic initially hit I remember being sent home to work remotely. At first I loved the idea. Not having to trek into Boston each day was a lovely thought and we all hoped it would be over fast. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

As the days wore on, I realized that the feeling of isolation and loneliness was real. I started seeing myself get easily frustrated. When I finally lost that role due to a lack of work, my mindset took a hit. I loved the job I was in but understood why it happened. It took me over a year to find a new role. 

In that time, I got rejection after rejection email and even though I knew it was more about what was going on in the world, I started to develop a negative mindset. I felt useless, unworthy, and like no one would hire me ever again. Little did I know until some years later that this was classic depression and anxiety. To say I was in a bad place would be an understatement. 

So how does this tie into the idea of mindset? Easy, our thoughts become our mindset. When we are in a state of scarcity or negative mindset, we keep getting what we put out. The key is to try and get into a growth and more positive mindset. 

I used affirmations, journaling, and even relied on my husband to help me get out of the mindset I had ended up in. All of these were wonderful for me but it still took some work. I even had to go to the doctor and get some medicine to help with the underlying depression and ADHD that I was diagnosed with about a year ago. 

My point is this, a mindset is the beliefs and thoughts you have inside yourself. The key is to realize when they may be negative and finding ways to get you back into a more positive, growth/abundance mindset. You can do this with affirmations like the ones on my Everything Page. You can also do this with counseling or seeing a mindset coach like me!

In the end, it's what works best for you and what feels most comfortable to you. It's all about shifting that mindset!

Just remember, your mindset matters and so do you!