HEY, hi! Heloooooooo! It’s time to upgrade your mindset bb. Life is a roller coaster. You can do all the yoga, meditation, and breathwork and still find yourself in a rut because we can’t avoid the inevitable part of life: challenges. Suffering is a natural part of the human condition; living comes with soaring highs and aching lows. Side note: did you catch the mindful podcast episode on TYIL Podcast with Noah Rasheta of Secular Buddhism? Noah had some GREAT insight on suffering and the mind, it’s worth a listen if you’re really inspired to upgrade your mindset! Anyways…. while we can’t control every aspect of life there is one thing we have control over, and that is our minds. Today we will talk about what mindset is, why it is so important, and how to upgrade it to work for you! 

Contrary to how we are often left feeling, you control your mindset. Your mindset does not direct you. In my dark anxiety and depression-filled days, I, too, thought my mindset was out of my control, and allowed it to be molded by external forces.

Cultivating a high-vibe mindset is a muscle baby, and we just have to learn how to work it! Without that skill, we, unfortunately, fall victim to it all too often. 

Let me use my absolute favorite thing in the world, YOGA – duh, to explain this. Think back to the last yoga class you took in person or online. When the teacher guided you into a challenging pose, maybe even one you typically shake and struggle through: 

What was your reaction?

What thoughts went through your head? 

How did this alter your mood? 

What was your attitude? 

This, my dear, is your mindset. 

Simply stated, our mindset controls our reactions, our behaviors, our mood, and how we show up in the world. AKA, all the things that influence our days and, therefore, our life experiences. Woah, woah, woah! 

And back to what a rollercoaster life is… if our mindset is not an upgraded one, we are always at the whim of the ride. Yet, when our mindset is elevated to be supportive and forgiving and when we have daily practices in place that allow us to tap into our awareness and make conscious choices, the rollercoaster ride becomes manageable. Think of your mindset as the lens through which you view your life. 

This lens is either dark and dim or bright and cheery. By upgrading your mindset, you get to decide what lens to experience life through. 

Your mindset was not built overnight, so know it won’t be upgraded overnight, bb! Like a muscle that hasn’t been worked, consistency is key to rebuilding. It takes time and can feel extremely challenging at first, but I promise you with effort and practice it will start to feel second nature and fluid in no time. 

Meditation is an AMAZING way to build awareness and a fabulous practice in gaining control of your mindset. I have a whole podcast episode about meditation that I recently recorded that will be up on The Yoga Inspired Life Podcast on Tuesday 3/16/21! If you’re reading this post before then, be sure to subscribe to the pod so full be notified once the ep is released so you don’t miss it, otherwise head there now and soak up all the goodness!

I also love to practice upgrading my mindset via my yoga practice! Every time you show up on your mat, think of it as riding that roller coaster. Your teacher is choosing the ride for the day, though. Whatever challenging position may come up, or how your body may be struggling on that day, practice taking it on with curiosity, grace, and an overall positive intention of meeting yourself where you’re at. 

If any negative thoughts come up, acknowledge them and observe them without judgment. Notice that you have the ability to choose a new thought! Let’s say balancing postures are not your jam, and you find yourself frustrated at your wobble. Notice the frustrating thought, acknowledge it, breathe, decide whether it’s serving you (hint hint: it’s probably not!) and then choose to shift your perspective and upgrade your mindset… for example my shift in perspective might be “I am wobbling right now in Warrior III because my foot is finding balance! I am getting stronger and cultivating better balance with each wobble!” You can do this with literally any thought that comes up!

Having negative thoughts or low vibe feelings is NORMAL and okay, the goal is never to bypass/ignore those feelings (what you resist, persists!) – the idea I’m sharing here is to recognize that you are in control of your thoughts and feelings, that you have a choice in your perspective, actions, and feelings, and to become aware of what is serving you and what is not.

Quick note: it’s vitally important to look into your mental health if you feel like your mindset is truly out of your control. Mental health is the most foundational aspect of wellbeing, and when our mental health is not being cared for, our mindset is tough to change. 

Simply stated, your mental health is the foundation of your mindset. So if you feel like you are struggling with mindset and the root is mental health, seek professional help from a therapist, doctor, or holistic physician. You don’t walk that journey alone, bb. Get the care you need, and once that is in place, your mindset can follow. I recently started going to therapy (virtually!) and it has been an absolute game changer! No shame in my therapy game!

A perfect way to incorporate upgrading your mindset into your routine is through TYIL 28 Day Challenge. I know we did this in February, but truthfully, you can use the guide and resources provided here AT ANY TIME to start a new habit. Whether you use this to incorporate a new yoga routine, by doing daily gratitudes or tracking your mood – it is the perfect tool to upgrade your mindset! 

It is never too late to change the rest of your life! I mean, we can’t get off the rollercoaster of it, so we may as well learn to deeply savor it. Upgrade your mindset, and you just watch; you’ll be enjoying the ride in no time.