1. As a man thinketh

Written in 1092 by James Allen, this book is filled with truth that has withstood the test of time. This book has been the beginning of many mindset shifts for me. The premise of the entire book is that your thoughts shape and create your reality. From the bible: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23:7. James Allen proposes that “As a man thinketh in his heart so shall he be”.

 The power of our thoughts to shape the person that we become and the circumstances in which we find ourself. Our circumstances are created by our thoughts. “Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him” Who are you when life doesn’t go as planned or when difficult seasons abound?

“You are today where your thoughts have brought you”

- James Allen.

This made me think a lot about self limiting thoughts that are possibly holding me back. If you believe you cannot achieve something there is a low likelihood that you’d even try. For a long time I did not believe I was capable of being in a committed romantic relationship. Mostly because of the trauma of my parents divorce. This self limited belief held me back from dating the type of men I could actually have a committed relationship with. Instead I entertained men I knew deep down inside there would be no future. Thus I created the circumstance of being single.

2. Why has no one told me this before?

Where do I even start. This is an all around self development book for individuals looking to elevate their life. Practical, easy to read, based on the science of human psychology, the book that will teach you how to better handle life.  Dr Julie Smith covers the whole spectrum of topics that affect the human experience. Everything from how to navigate suffering, taking action when motivation is illusive, dealing with self doubt, and anxiety. This is the book you wish you had before beginning this journey called, “adulting”. It is not the absence of trials, negative emotions, or difficulty but learning how to better manage when they arise. If you are the type of person who is always happy and never has a bad day, this book is not for you.

Because I’m a science nerd, I like that the practical advice is based on human psychology studies.( not just her own musings) Smith gives tools that you can actually start to put into practice.

One of the most power tools I learned from this book is how to turn bad days into better days. Getting myself out of a state of low mood.  Mood, Thoughts, Behavior, and the Body are all interconnected. What we do and how we do it feeds back to our body and brain about how to feel. For me by shifting behavior we can bring about a change in mood.

3. Mindset

Mindset by Carol Deweck is the first time I’d heard about the concept of mindset. I was introduced to her work by female entrepreneur coach Sam Laura Brown. In general people fall into two categories those with a fixed mindset and those with a growth mindset. The type of mindset you have informs how you face challenges and your concept of failure. In short those with a growth mindset value effort and seek challenges. Growth minded individuals feel the best when they are challenging themselves in a new way or when they have given their best effort despite the outcome. Those with a fixed mindset, in an effort to avoid shame, avoid challenges. They perceive failure as a threat to their fixed sense of self. This type of mindset is restrictive. It doesn’t leave room for the possibility of growth and becoming in the future what you lack today. An example of this would be if your whole life you’ve been told you are smart. That becomes your identity. When given the opportunity to learn a new language, maybe at first you struggle and the thought of not proving yourself “smart” forces you to quit. Whereas, someone with a growth mindset would welcome the challenge of learning something new, knowing that with practice they will likely improve.