"Your mind does not inherently know what is real and what is imagined — it only responds to the stories you tell it." —Unknown

Did you know... Self-limiting beliefs impact 90% of people?

So, what's so important about mindsets, and how do you overcome the ones that are holding you back?

A mindset is a set of ideas, attitudes, or habitual beliefs that determine how you interpret events and respond to them. Two of the most commonly talked about mindsets include:

• Growth vs. Fixed

• A growth mindset is necessary to improve your life. It's the belief that your abilities and skills can be improved through effort, learning, and experience.

• With a fixed mindset, you think of all of your abilities as eing fixed traits with no ability to improve them. When people say "oh, they've always been like that, they'll never change", that is a sign of a fixed mindset.

• Scarcity vs. Abundance

• Scarcity mindset - 'there's not enough to go around'. You think because others are successful in a space you inhabit, you cannot be. This leads to being competitive and hoarding resources, whether that be time, money, praise, or anything else.

• Abundance mindset - the belief that there are sufficient resources and opportunities, leading to feelings of gratitude, growth, and collaboration rather than fear or jealousy.

Mental barriers are generally specific, subconscious, limiting beliefs that prevent you from taking action or reaching your full potential. Common barriers include:

• Imposter syndrome - the persistent feeling that you are not as competent, capable or deserving of your success as you've led others to believe. You fear you'll be found out as a 'fraud', even with the countless pieces of evidence that you are not. If you are on my mailing list for my newsletter, we dug a little deeper on this one there.

• Perfectionism - Primarily defined as setting unreasonably high standards with an overwhelming fear of failure. This is clearly exhausting and can lead to anxiety or manifest in constant fatigue.

• Fear of failure - intense, persistent fear of making mistakes or not meeting expectations, often driven by a fear of shame or judgment.

• Self-doubt - feeling of uncertainty regarding one’s own competence, value, or decisions, often leading to feeling stuck and self-sabotaging any offered opportunities that come your way.

Imposter syndrome is one of the most common self-limiting beliefs, with 82% of people admitting to experiencing it at some point in their life.

What is imposter syndrome?

Have you ever started a job that you didn't feel qualified for, and wondered how you actually landed it? It must have been that nobody else applied... or you somehow got lucky, or you oversold your qualifications. (Psst - it was because you had the necessary qualifications, and were a great personality and culture fit - and anything you didn't know, they are confident they could teach you!)

Or maybe you were trying to start a business, but kept asking yourself 'why would anybody listen to me, or pay for my services'?

That, my friend, is imposter syndrome.

The chronic self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud (even though you have tons of evidence of your success and qualifications!)

It's common in perfectionists and people with low self-worth.

Why does this matter?

Mindset is everything; it's a filter for your reality, shaping your life experiences.

I've been personally working a TON on my mindset. I've always had a growth mindset but I've been guilty of partaking in a lot of "shelf" help. I read tons of books and get my brain full of these great life-altering ideas, but I put the book back on the shelf and don't implement them - or at least not in a meaningful long-term way. As with everything, those books and their nuggets of knowledge only work if you do the work.

I've dealt with several fairly deep issues - depression, anxiety, weight gain (and subsequent loss), horrible sleep, burn out, lack of boundaries, mom guilt, poor nutrition. I've worked through most of it, but in the process of launching my coaching business, my mindset issues have really held me back, so I've been leaning in hard. Turns out, starting a business often brings out all of your biggest insecurities... and you really can't expect to get clients by a few social media posts and hoping for the best. Hence the reason this topic is so near and dear to me right now.

In addition to the above, there are countless other barriers when it comes to reaching our goals and our full potential - lack of: support, time, accountability, desire to complete the task/motivation. It's truly amazing how many ways we can mentally block becoming our best versions of ourselves.

You deserve confidence, self-worth, and joy.

That can be hard to feel when you're caught in the throes of self-limiting beliefs. So, how do you get unstuck? I wish I could take credit for this amazing trick, but I heard it on an episode of the Goal Digger podcast that was featuring Jen Sincero, a writer and success coach. This was truly a game changer for me and I hope it does the same for you!

Make your POWER LIST.

Need inspiration? Check out my power list.

Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and write out every awesome thing you've done:

• Challenges you've faced and overcame (or at least attempted).

• Recognition you've received.

• Any personal or professional achievements.

• Any big leaps you've taken.

• Literally, any moment you've felt like a badass - nothing is too small.

Now, review your power list, and ask yourself, if you were hiring somebody for this big presentation, a life or wellness coach, a position at work, or whatever issue you're in your head about at this moment, would this person you just wrote a badass list about make the cut? I bet they would.

I'm a wellness coach. I help moms overcome their guilt and perfectionism so they can reclaim their identity, health and joy. I also help women reclaim their health, confidence, and energy. I love all things in the world of wellness, especially as related to: movement, nutrition, stress management, mindset, social connection, sleep.

Us women have such an uncanny ability to talk shit to ourselves about ourselves. It really is quite amazing but also super fucking obnoxious. We would never be so mean to a loved one!

I'm here to tell you, almost every single woman experiences it... and many men, too. I bet more men experience it than admit it. The point is, it's incredibly common and human and nothing to feel embarassed about.

One more trick I'd like to leave you with - when you're having negative self-talk, stop yourself and ask what you would say to your spouse, your kid, or your best friend if they were having the same thought? Would you say 'you're a fucking idiot', just like you say to yourself (or is that just me?), or would you offer them far kinder and more encouraging words? I would guess you would have much kinder things to say to them, or you don't have many friends.

In the words of Sarah Hagi "May you have the confidence of a mediocre white man".

Only - I know you deserve better and you can do better. Let's see it!

Working with a coach you like and trust is a great way to improve your mindset and set and reach attainable goals. A coach will challenge you, provide resources, cheer you on, and hold you accountable.

If you're ready to set and reach your goals, book a call with me and let's see if we're a good fit! I offer both 1:1 and group coaching. Set up a free 30-minute consultation call to explore the possibilities!