Mindset shift: the worst things to ask yourself when things fall apart
By Guest contributor, Jos Dirkx, Founder, Beenova
This article is part of a series on Entrepreneurship mainly focusing on mental health. This week, our guest contributor reminds us the need for choosing the right mindset when things fall apart and gives us some tips to navigate the hard times wisely. In her previous post, she discussed how to let go of the self limiting beliefs that prevent our personal growth. What about when things don’t turn the way we expected in the business?
Things have gotten really real. Many of my close friends in great positions, with awesome teams and strong personal relationships have mentioned they’re worn out, that they’re concerned about the impact of the pandemic on their mental health, and that the uncertainty is getting to them.
The hard questions we ask ourselves.
Most importantly, it seems we’re asking ourselves some really difficult questions:
- How much longer is this going to last?
- What can we expect on the other side?
- Why can’t I resume my life more easily?
- Why am I not taking the steps to reach my dreams?
- Why is it so hard to be motivated?
Shifting your mindset is the key.
These questions aren’t only difficult because they may be ‘hard to answer’; they’re difficult because we can answer them from so many different mindset ‘spaces’. And our decision to choose a ‘space’ to answer our internal struggles from, or a ‘space’ to approach new love from, or even a ‘space’ to turn up for colleagues and teammates from makes a really big difference.
Uncoupling my mind from the moment has really helped me these past few months. Instead of allowing myself to get swept up in the experiences of others (or to get too lost in the frequency of the world), I remind myself what I stand for, what the higher purpose of the work my team and I are doing is, and which mindset I will approach my life, my work and love from.
In addition to regular breath work, walks with the dog and focusing on creating, there are a few questions I’ve introduced in my repertoire to help get to a productive mindset space faster:
- How can this moment bring me closer to happiness?
- What’s the gift in this moment?
- Who needs me to be my best self today?
(And, by the way, the answer to the third question can definitely be ‘me’).
The way we shape these next few months really lies in the questions we have asked ourselves and continue to ask ourselves – in work, in life and in love.
Whatever is happening to you in this moment simply is.
Some of us are soaring, others are not, and some of us are desperate. There are a lot of different experiences to calibrate and the calibration of those experiences is nobody’s sole responsibility. No matter what you choose to ask yourself right now, the answer is as easy or difficult as you allow it to be.
Be kind and choose your space wisely.
Connect with Jos on LinkedIn