This blog post is related to our podcast MeWe, saison 1, episode 4: Mindset & cocreation
In this 4th episode we will continue to bring more consciousness into our life to develop our illimited capacity to create the life we want. Mindset is at the core of transformation and self-leadership. Now that we have untangled our hidden drivers, clarified our values and intentions, mindset comes to ensure the long term co-creation and growth of our dreams.
What is the mindset?
The mindset is your state of mind, and therefore a set of beliefs that shapes how you make sense of the world and yourself. In the last episode, we shared about these conditionings and how they influence us. If you want to read about it have a look here (link)
Mindset is also a set of physiological elements in our brain and attitudes that drive and support us, or not.
In a world that is constantly changing around us, developing and keeping a growth mindset brings more inner freedom, finding courage to persevere, learn and build capacities.
Yes because a positive mindset is a practice: focusing on the good in any given situation is not how our brain is wired as we have. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, demonstrated how what is negative attracts and marks us more deeply than the positive. We have been designed since the arrival of Homo Sapiens with this negativity bias. Our archaic brain allowed our ancestors to survive but today our minds are all too easily plugged into threat mode, fueling fears that are often irrelevant.
Understanding our brain work, reframing negativity, approaching the good and the bad in life with the expectation that things will go well is a way to escape from rumination, procrastination, devaluation or complaints.
What neurosciences say about it
Cognitive sciences have studied the phenomenon and have shown that it is possible to reverse the trend at any age as the brain, this wonderful computer, has this amazing plasticity that allows it to evolve at any time. If we repeatedly focus on specific information, we muscle it in a way, to train it to memorize this or that information more easily.
Few tips to start practicing conscious mindset
Eliminate autopilot - observe yourself and develop the capacity to be fully present with what is happening, to change your attitude toward it
Saturate your subconscious with positive elements with a gratitude journal, even for the smallest thing in your everyday life: the beauty of fruit, a sunlight, a smile
Hold on for 21 days, a threshold to establish a new habit and bring changes in the brain.
Taming the intense ego within us
There are 3 elements coexisting within us
our Soul, which is our authentic being, which comes to experience incarnation
our Mind, like a big processor, which analyzes and wants to understand our thoughts
our Ego, which is our personality, and which in fact identifies with our mind and thoughts in an unconscious way.
Your ego can be your best friend or the source of your pain
Our ego begins to develop at birth and continues throughout life. It represents the totality of our belief system and 95% of it is unconscious. Understanding how ego work within us and getting the trash out of our limiting beliefs will help support a positive co creative mindset.
But let’s not demonize our ego. If we fight against it, we fight against ourselves. It is a part of each person. The proposition is to socialize with it, make new friends.
The advantage is that our ego is there to protect us. It just needs loving direction, like a little child, fearful and seeking for recognition. Emotions and fears are manifestations of the ego. One of the most potent things we can do is to reassure him/her, but talking to yourself; the adult you are today to your inner child. The exercise may seem odd, but you will quickly observe a strange phenomenon: its silence and openness to novelty and new challenges.
Saboteur and impostor syndrome
The ego is often called the saboteur because it is filled with fears and judgments so it clutters us in our development.
One of the most common challenges for women and entrepreneurs is this famous impostor syndrome, which is an illustration of the ego's influence on us.
This feeling of illegitimacy, of being unworthy of the promotions, compliments we receive or success we get is a common form of excessive devaluation. To put it simply, it protects a belief system (I am not up to it) at the cost of a lot of perverse effects: stress, low self-esteem, anxiety.
Few tips to change your behavior and stop being your own persecutor
know your natural qualities and talents to better accept yourself
stop fighting against perfectionism, welcome your part that is perfectionist and gently put it back in its place - looking for “good enough”
come out of the false gaze of others and avoid comparisons (the ego loves to compare)
get rid of your inner (over-performing) hero
recognize your accomplishments and celebrate. Gratitude!
rely on benevolent gaze especially from coaches, mentors and role models
What about you?
What do you do to remain positive and take the trash out?
What relationship do you have with our inner child / your ego?
Do you have any conscious or unconscious blockages that you prevents you from cocreating the life you want as entrepreneur or empowered women?
If you need a partner and guide to help you out with self acceptance, responsabilisation and changing perspective, you can contact Marie-Amélie for a free discovery session to design your personalized coaching, using a variety of body-mind-spirit tools and practices.
WOMADE is an all-female community & coworking space in Brussels — follow us on Instagram
MeWe is WOMADE's official podcast sharing empowering stories to inspire ambitious women — follow us on Instagram
Marie-Amélie Ormières is an Holistic Coach & Therapist, and founder of MAO — follow her on Instagram
Love this! thank you for all the good tips :o)