Mindset matters.  In truth and fact, Mindset matters mightily.  Where and how we put our attention, the thoughts we think, how we engage with them…all make a whopping difference… throughout our entire life, both inside and outside.  Our thoughts, can, very literally, determine our emotions, our experience…and therefore our life, our functioning, our wellbeing, our awakening.  It’s that simple and that clear.  

I know this only too well, have countless examples.  I remember taking a BC Ferry to a workshop.  I was full of thoughts that were judgemental, critical, evaluating everyone, everything.  Grumpy, grisly thoughts created a grumpy grizzly world, inside and out. The workshop was powerful, transformative, heart opening.  Taking the ferry back, I was all but in love with everyone, everything.  The world, inside and out, was friendly, genial, full of connections, warmth.  I realized what was happening, and was gobsmacked.  It’s stunning how powerful our thoughts and our mindset are.   Mindset matters mightily. Wow.

For me, for now, there is cautious joy.  Not only about the openings and blooming, the earth’s fertility and rebirth, the increasing light and warmth… but also about promise and potential — of light at the end of the Covid tunnel, growing awareness, the raising of consciousness and at east some encouraging, signs of waking-up changes in matters of politics, race, climate, health, equity.  Perhaps I wax overly positive, optimistic.  There are still massive challenges.  We may or may not actually be turning some corners.  And still, even more so, and vitally important, is the the truth that mindset matters.  

The insight that our thoughts are powerful, is, of course, not mine.  I want to share a few pieces for your consideration, about this vital topic from greater thinkers than I :-).  

First the Buddha: 

Here is the message in a compelling Ted talk, not from some woo-woo whacko, but from a medical doctor, Dr. Alia Crum.   Change your mindset, change the game.  She gives some impressive examples of the how our mindsets matter… actually affect matter.  I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Here’s an article in Forbes Magazine: This Is How Your Thoughts Become Your Reality. Your thoughts are a catalyst for self-perpetuating cycles. What you think directly influences how you feel and how you behave. 

And here, in Psychology Today, a piece with basically the same title.   Importantly, in this version of the message, the author makes clear that it is not about blaming people for what happens to them, but describing how this truth, mindset matters, is actually empowering. 

If you haven’t read Edith Eger’s  The Choice, do. 

Mindset matters also relates to environmental despair.  Future Crunch — you’ve heard me praise it in earlier posts, as a source of life-changing good news.  Here is one of their articles: An antidote for Environmental Despair.   Mindset features big.  

There’s much more, but let this suffice for now.  Mindset matter mightily. I’d love to hear your examples, experiences with how mindset affects you, your mood, your functioning, your welling, you life.  We’re in this together, and together we can make a difference, help each other as we flow into Spring and further the recovery from the manifold challenges of the past year. 

Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity.  BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, andgrowth.  Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume.  Follow me on Twitter, let’s be friends on Facebook 🙂