Hi Friends!
The other day while I was driving, I was listening to a podcast and learned something I had to share with the courage community. It’s called a growth mindset; it’s about believing you can grow, learn, and become stronger through pure effort and persistence.
Psychologist and author Dr. Benjamin Hardy emphasizes that a growth mindset is viewing challenges as opportunities to evolve and prioritizes progress over perfection. For those of us wanting to personally grow but feel like we’re juggling so much, this perspective is deeply empowering!
Why? Because it means you can rewrite your story at any moment. Reframing your challenges helps you grow into a greater version of yourself and keeps those setbacks from stopping you.
In contrast, a fixed mindset is the belief that your talents and abilities are set in stone. It traps you in your comfort zone and keeps you focused on proving your worth rather than improving yourself. This can show up as blaming others, avoiding challenges, or feeling jealous of other people’s success.
Here’s the hard truth: Clinging to past struggles, like a hard childhood or breakup, is like dragging a heavy suitcase of I can’t into every new chapter. You’re not just remembering it; you’re letting it run your daily life.
So let me remind you: you can unpack that suitcase and choose a new path!
If you’re ready unlock your growth mindset, here’s what to do:
- Reframe Your Past: Instead of saying, ‘I’ll always have a fear of this’ say ‘That season pushed me to face hardships and reshaped my confidence.’ Try writing a new story about an experience, one where the struggle built the foundation for who you are today.
- Choose Effort Over Talent: If you’ve hit a setback, ask “What am I supposed to be learning?”
- Celebrate Small Wins: Shared an idea in a group chat or cooked a new recipe? That’s huge. Keep a journal to track your progress.
- Seek Feedback, Not Validation: (This one hits me hard!) Swap the need for approval with a hunger for growth. Instead of fishing for praise, ask yourself ‘What’s one thing I can do better next time?’
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when you stumble. Growth isn’t about being flawless. It’s about consistently trying with your battle scars as proof you showed up.
You’re not tied to your past—you’re shaped by your everyday choices. A growth mindset gives you the courage to dream bigger, love deeper, and rise stronger.
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What’s one challenge you’re ready to reframe? For me, it’s reframing my fear of failure!
Drop it in the comments if you want to share 🙂
I’m cheering you on!
Cathy
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