The dog days of summer are approaching. All the big fun family holidays are either in the past or several months ahead. Vacation is over. It’s hot. It’s muggy. And now you find yourself in a slump. Back in the grind. A little flat, getting discouraged. Staring at the computer and wondering how to get yourself jump-started again.
Keep these four points in mind to improve your mindset, help get you back in the groove and pump up your energy and self-esteem.
1. You are better than you think.
Aren’t we all our own worst critics? Don’t we have high expectations for ourselves and harshly judge ourselves as “unworthy” when we fail?
There is no such thing as “failure.” Consider it, instead, a “course correction.”
You make a left instead of a right. Have you “failed”? Do you grimly keep heading in that direction even when you know you need to turn around? Or stop dead in your tracks, throwing up your hands and saying, “It’s no use! I’ll never get to that place!”?
Of course not! You change directions, pull out a map, ask someone for help — whatever it might be — and keep moving.
To muzzle the mindset of your inner critic, make a list. Write down all your good qualities. You’re reliable. Honest. Hard-working. You have a fabulous voice — at least in the shower. You recycle. You’re kind to animals. You pick up stuff when it falls on the floor. You change your oil regularly. You rinse the dishes before you stick them in the dishwasher. Whatever. Write it down, review it, add to it.
2. Begin.
Even the smallest step forward is still a step forward. Trying to bite off too big a chunk is what chokes us.
I kept putting off washing my windows and screens, because I’ve got 13 of them…and they get bigger every time I look at them. The size of the completed task was just too daunting. I kept putting it off, putting it off, putting it off.
Until one sunny, cool day, I told myself, “Let’s just do these front windows. Just these two. Piece of cake. You can do that.” So I did. Washing those two windows gave me a sense of accomplishment that encouraged me to continue. Just a few at a time.
Make a list. Start with your big task. Break it down into the smallest pieces possible. Then begin. Any start is better than no start and eventually you’ll get the big tasks done.
3. The only way out is through.
Maybe your hardships are a bit bigger than gaining a pound instead of losing one. Maybe you’re going through the loss of a loved one, a job, a home.
Here’s the good news: You will get through it. As grim and overwhelming as it seems now, nothing lasts forever.
Make a list (can you tell I’m big on making lists?). What steps can you take to help you move through it? Who can help? Pick a sympathetic and objective person (your pastor, a coach, a therapist) who wants what’s best for you, not for themselves. Watch out for people who have skin in your game; they may love you to pieces, but they may not be the best supporters to help you get through tough times. And hang in there!
4. “I can do this.”
Yes, you CAN do this. Whatever it is, you can do it. There is no problem so large it can’t be solved.
Make a list every night before you go to bed. What good things happened to you during the day? What did you accomplish? What positive things do you have in your life? Start your list with “I woke up this morning.” Take it from there.
It’s important to frame all your thinking positively. Instead of “I didn’t kill my boss today,” say, “I had pleasant conversations with my boss.” Instead of “I didn’t yell at my kids,” say, “I treated my kids with a cool head.” It’s all in your mindset, baby.
This reinforces what’s right instead of focusing on what’s not, and allows you to build on that. And by creating and reviewing your list before you go to bed, you’ll find it easier to go to sleep and wake up rested…and knowing that yes, you can do this.
What motivates you to keep moving? I’d love to hear in your comments below.