When it comes to how we see things, we may not realize it at the time, our actions are creating habits. Habits are defines as “a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior”. That definition is from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. You may probably think mindset training isn’t for you, however did you know when it comes to perception we are hardwired to be negative?
Think about that for a moment, it should make sense to you. When we are given a situation we typically go right for what can go wrong with it, agreed? There’s reasons for that just like there’s a reason my dog walks in circles before she lays down. Throughout her families lineage and I’m guessing other breeds as well, they are trained to make sure they aren’t going to lay down on a snake that could kill them. We by nature are wired to avoid danger. Negative thinking, or assuming the worst case scenario is actually natural! But it sucks, and sometimes is extremely unreasonable.
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Let’s Look at Mindset Training In Action
Read that meme I made then look at the picture at the bottom of this section. One big concept, sort of like a behind the scenes idea with mindset training is that we create habits. Being said it is easiest to see the impending rain and potentially beautiful storm coming. If you focus too much on those clouds that are on the way and getting ready to consume the moment you miss out on the beauty that remains. It could rain for 3 days and if you don’t focus on the hue of the blue portion while you can, you’ll forget it is behind the clouds.
In life we have beautiful periods, we have darker periods, and we have periods where we aren’t sure if it is going to rain at that moment or how fast it will pass. The blue in the sky gives us a reminder we can see beauty instead of darkness. That storm is going to cover the blue, however once it passes the grass will grow and withering flowers will have a stronger bloom. Actually, what do you think of lightning? You only get lightning in a storm and it can leave you in awe (or shock if you were playing baseball with an aluminum bat next to a tree). It will inevitably come down to the mindset training you’ve done and are working on.
Let Your Mindset Training Lead You to See the Dark Period as Bad…. Very Bad.
Taking that thought a step further, if it stopped raining for a prolonged period we would be left with drought conditions. What happens during a drought? Well, from what I have read in the Bible it can cause death. That’s our dark period, our drought, it’s “death” because we begin to live in fear instead of thriving and growing! One fast moment, if you are a Christian you really should read “Conquer Fear”! And if you’re not, maybe it can open your eyes the same way it did to an atheist friend of mine! I digress…
So what happens when it’s cloudy with a chance of rain? We that’s entirely up to you. You can look at the daunting storm en route, which may or may not happen. You could also say, I have no idea what is coming so I’ll get ready mentally for a few different things. Congratulations, you’ve just practiced mindset training. And honestly, that’s a wise idea. I am a huge proponent of being prepared, for the good and the bad!
Have you ever witnessed one of the coolest things ever? Where it rains and is bright and sunny at the same time? We can look at this as something that happens in life as well! Have you ever been around something that seems like it’s trying to ruin a good time, maybe a person – or your negative thinking? Even though there’s a small sprinkle, the sun is out! View the sprinkle as a refresher, or in life a reminder that although you’ve gotten a little wet you can dry off and enjoy the day.
We need to look at those dark or rainy periods again. Yes, it’s natural but it can get you down and keep you there.
How to Make the Storm Last Longer for Christians
One common false belief that is important to understand is that only good comes to Christians. That can’t be farther from the truth. Do you remember when you started going through sanctification? All good right? Wrong! In fact, for me at least, it was almost as if I had more opportunity to sin come at me! This idea can be incorporated with mindset training and I feel, if you are sound theologically and know the Word this is where mindset training could have started with! Pretty neat huh? Without getting into a ton of what I learned getting my master’s let’s look at the clouds from a Christian vantage point.
The easiest way to make a storm or bad season last for a Christian is to not turn to God, because we seem to think He needs a break occasionally. I still have periods where I keep a hand on the smaller things, and I still get overwhelmed. If I’m going through something that could be a bigger issue as I’m in recovery like many others. A way we can practice mindset training as Christians is by remaining focused on Christ!
We are taught in the Bible to depend on Him, seeking wisdom is urged, and it’s only time before we are in His glory. So, let’s take a fast peak at an example. We are in conversation and we have a prompt from the Holy Spirit. He wants us to ask a stranger we are speaking with how they feel about Christ. We start to clam up and say, there’s no way I can do this! And we blow something that was set up by God, trust me I have done it more than a handful of times. Let’s take a peak at another example.
I’ve been coaching a while and one issue I see is how long some of us hang on to “impending doom”. I’m not an Angel yet, and I had been through the court system a few times. My dad pointed it out to me one time that I was constantly “mind (bad word)” myself. I was causing myself angst and stress. I was holding on to that doom that came a few times, but nowhere as often as I had imagined. I would stay up for nights stressing about failing a urinalysis, or what would happen with my ex girlfriend if I went away. I missed out on a lot of good times, wholesome family good times, because mentally I was drowning in my own rain storm.
Recently I have been through really bad situations. I saw my upward focus and mindset training in action. I attended a living wake for one of my favorite aunts. If it wasn’t for God helping me the months before with mindset training I would have cracked, back in the day I relapsed over way less. She was alive, barely. She was weak and tired and there were more than a few times I had to get up and walk away because I was with my youngest son and was very choked up. I stayed. My mindset training was more of a crash course at that time as living wakes are not common. I was able to compose myself and discuss amazing memories we had as a family in that room. I watched the sunset partly from her vantage point. When my son asked, I was able to tell him it was tough and I was having a hard time but it’s okay. God and mindset training were crucial for that experience. I had a beautiful last encounter with her, and though it still pains me a bit she is gone I will share in God’s glory with her eventually.
How Do We tie All of This Together?
Mindset training will make us or break us. We create a natural habit of seeing the worst, but it’s just as easy to look for the bright spots. So how can you incorporate mindset training in life? You may have to start being as positive as possible and really try especially if you suffer from depression or anxiety. You may have to write down as soon as your able to what joy or blessing you found in a given situation. One thing I have seen work is focusing on the good in the situation when you are explaining it to someone else.
Regardless it is called mindset training for a reason, as I mentioned we are hardwired to see the negative or detrimental aspects of a situation. We need to train to see the good. I’ve been there, I know all about it!
