Birds tweeting, the smell of fresh grass, the sun on your skin… We’re all waiting for it, summer is around the corner. With the change of seasons we feel more inspired and excited, with a spring in our step. As the days get longer and the temperature gets warmer, the energy in the air feels lighter and we naturally feel more alive. Many of us associate new seasons with new opportunities; however, we cannot expect our lives to transform if we don’t actively participate in making a change.
The famous Henry Ford stated: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
Of course, every change is created by taking intentional action, but it all starts with your mindset first. How you think creates how you feel and how you feel influences how you act.
If you are motivated to see physical changes in your life, the first step needed to see any results at all requires a mental change and a mindset makeover.
When you have a thought, the brain produces a chemical in the body for you to feel the way you think. If you have a positive, happy, empowering thought, you will feel positive, happy and empowered. From this state of being, you will feel excited and motivated to make inspired change.
If you have a negative, sad, or limiting thought, you will feel negative, sad and limited. From this state of being, it is easier to feel like a victim, procrastinate and hold yourself back.
You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it. This means that, while you cannot change how others live their lives, you can change how you live yours.
Just as it feels so good to spring-clean your home and clear out old clutter that is taking up unnecessary space, it feels equally good to spring clean your mind to create a fresh start and new beginnings.
If you are ready to change your mindset, to bring change into your life, these three steps will kick-start you to living a life with more meaning, happiness and positive change.
The first step in any spring clean is to become clear of everything that does not serve you. In your home, you may throw outdated possessions in a rubbish bag ready to clear and remove. The same applies to your mind. Start becoming aware of what you are thinking on a daily basis. Listen to your inner chatter, and identify any negative and limiting thoughts such as “I can’t do that” or “I am not good enough.” Ask yourself if these thoughts are improving and enhancing your life and, if not, this is your sign that these need to be ‘thrown out’.
Once you have identified what thoughts are holding you back or preventing you from feeling inspired and excited, the second step is to ask yourself what you really want out of life. Become crystal clear about your vision for the future and what areas in your life you would like to change. If you could wave a magic wand and create your dream life, what would that look like and, more importantly, how would you show up in the world.
The third step is to embody your future self and start acting that way every day.
We are all energetic beings and the law of attraction states that like attracts like. You can only manifest something into your life that is on the same energetic frequency as you.
That means if you are feeling down and empty, it is impossible to attract your heart’s deepest desire, which makes you feel abundant and full. The reason being, the energy you currently feel and the energy you will feel once you have what you want, do not align.
A simple way to raise your energy is to get excited about what’s to come. Do things that bring you joy and take time to have more fun. Start acting like your future self and believe in your capabilities. You do not need to make massive changes all at once. Slow and steady wins the race, but remember, the energy you put out is what you draw back in.
Though these three simple steps may sound easy, making a change is not always a walk in the park. The mind loves to keep you in the comfort zone because it wants to keep you safe. Even if a certain behaviour does not serve you, it is easier to stay in the habitual patterns of your life, because they are unsurprising and predictable. When your mind presents every excuse why you are unable to change, you need to be greater than your doubts and, when you feel the fear, do it anyway.
If making a new decision frightens you, this is a sign that big growth is about to happen. It means that you are preparing to step out of your comfort zone and do something different, which will bring different results into your life.
Set a clear achievement and break it down step by step. Looking at an enormous task to accomplish may seem daunting, but creating bite-size action steps builds momentum that moves you forward steadily and, in time, makes your dreams your reality. If you’re inspired to do the thing you’ve been putting off for way too long, or if you are ready finally to make a change in your life, remember these three steps to move you closer to your end goal.
1. Get clear of the negative thoughts that are holding you back.
2. Get laser-focused on how you want your life to look.
3. Visualise your most empowered, abundant future self and start thinking, feeling and behaving that way today.
Receiving and achieving all of your desires, starts with transforming the relationship with yourself. Start believing in your capabilities, start knowing your worth, raise your inner confidence and then…Take a leap of faith and just do it.
Don’t let fear hold you back from making changes that will light up your life. Every time you doubt yourself and ask: “What if I fall?”… Visualise your greatness, anticipate everything working out perfectly and then ask yourself: “What if I fly?”
Self-love expert and mindset mentor, Nikki Loots, is on a global mission to help women transform their lives by transforming the relationship they have with themselves.
Mentoring women through 1:1 and group coaching, online courses, and public speaking, Nikki shares the message that self-love is not selfish and every single one of us deserves to have it all. https://nikkiloots.com