reJUNEviate your 2014 plans – mindset & attitude
For the rest of June, we’ll be taking a look at how you can reJUNEviate your 2014 plans. 3 more Thursdays in June means 3 b-mails, looking at rejuvenating your mindset and attitude, your physical wellbeing and finally, your actions. But first things first:
Newish b-mailers: Did you complete the workbook? How’d it help? (Missed it? Here you go: “Create your 12 month stretch plan”)
Earlier b-mailers: Did you review December’s worksheets on how you wanted 2014 to be?
So to this week’s topic: your mindset and attitude. Keeping yourself mentally on track and engaged with the changes you desire in your life, work or play can be tricky. You might be hitting a rough spot, or not progressing as quickly as you’d like and of course, there’s all the other stuff that gets in the way. Your midyear review might have also thrown out a few curveballs, meaning you need to tweak your plans by starting or stopping something.
(You might find these b-mails handy if you’re not sure where to start or how to get round the other stuff: Little things and 7 ways to get more done)
Your brain functions on a way higher oxygen and water requirement than the rest of your body and you start to get cranky if these get out of whack. Complex thinking, managing your emotions and energy levels hit the roller-coaster and your attitude hops on board for the ride. Why no carry some water around with you and improve your breathing by standing or sitting tall, place your hands on your rib cage and breathe as deeply as you can into your palms. 4 or 5 deep breaths and a glass of water can be a great way to perk up your brain and improve your mindset.
Smiling uses the zygomatic major muscle in your cheeks to move your lips into a grin. This natural expression elicits smiles back and increases your endorphins, those wonderful happy hormones. If you feel happier, your mindset and attitude to change, challenge and risk all improve.
Another way to up those happy hormones is to add some movement to your day. Schedule time for exercise on a regular basis. Short on time? Walk round the block, jog up and down the stairs, whizz the hoover round your front room or dance to a favourite track.
Strike an ongoing uplift or shift can be done with a “back to your roots” type approach by tuning into your original motivation and desire. What is it that achieving your goals will give you? How will things be different? Making these visual can help keep you focused and deliver a quick top-up – try creating a notebook insert for the back cover with a quote or image, changing your screen saver/image or creating a vision board (I love Pinterest for these – so easy and LOADS of inspiration!). Keeping your motivation and desire front of mind, keeps your mindset in place.
Along the way, you may hit a few fails – you’ll miss something or screw-up, it’s human to do so, but let’s be honest, it can make you feel rubbish, zapping your motivation and creating a no-go mindset. Don’t waste your mental energy on this. Reframe your fails, large and small, as learning opportunities; ways to improve, build knowledge and more insights into yourself and your change.
And don’t forget to enjoy and whoop about those small wins along the way!
Here’s a little image to help you reJUNEviate your mind! (Like it? Why not pin it to your vision board?)
And do share in the comments, how do you shift your mindset and attitude to support your change?
