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I once heard about a study that asked participating individuals if they would accept an opportunity to live out someone else’s life for a day.
The resounding feedback was yes.
When probed about their decision, most participants agreed it was an attractive proposition. Having a new lease of life and leaving their old self behind was enticing.
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It was the opportunity it presented to get away from their life in its current form, and proceed with what they felt would be a fresh start.
The main appeal of this concept is the vivid and immediate contrast and change to life which would immediately follow – were it possible.
Clearly, we’ll never be able to experience living someone else’s life so what do we do?
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What if I told you, you have the ability to obtain the same experience using the life you already have.
Resetting your mindset offers the same value.
It’s easier said than done but ultimately the focal point is that it can be done. What makes it difficult isn’t the process of doing it.
Releasing everything that came prior is typically where the challenge lies. I’ve spoken about this in more detail here.
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Over time we build a pattern of thinking that can be difficult to break away from because of how normalized it’s become.
To reset our mindset, we must disrupt the norm, shatter our mental comfort zones, and implement actionable practices we feel will support the renewed thoughts we’re building.
Look at it this way – starting a business is likely to take off slowly for the majority. It’s new and will involve a great deal of learning, mistakes, and adjustments.
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The yield is likely to be slow when starting however, as the owner diligently continues despite the hiccups they experience along the way, they’re likely to improve their services and see greater results.
If they stay committed to providing great products and excellent service, they’ll build their reputation and gain the trust of their consumers until they eventually become an established household name.
Resetting the mind works in similar fashion.
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To implement renewed thoughts will take time and continued practice. The practice is necessary because initially, it’s possible you’ll experience a great deal of doubt.
We’re accustomed to the way we previously thought that moving away will feel unusual and feelings of uncertainty are to be expected.
There will be numerous days when we don’t believe what we’re now trying to think, and this is where practice is key.
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You must think repeatedly in current day, in the way you wish your mental default settings to operate in future.
If you’ve always reverted to thinking the worst or struggled to be optimistic, you would now think constructive thoughts and anticipate having the best.
I would liken the process of renewing one’s mind to a saying we’re all familiar with, ‘fake it, till you make it’.
My personal interpretation of this is one acts on what they believe until they really do believe it. They then continue believing and acting on it until they see it bear tangible fruit.
It’s a method of bringing the invisible from the background to the forefront.
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The more you do something, the better you become.
As you become better, you become more confident and as your confidence grows so does the belief in what you’re doing.
As this cycle continues on and on, you’ll soon find although you started in doubt, you’ll have transitioned to convicted belief i.e. faith and your perspective of life will have shifted for the better leading to more desirable outcomes.
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Earlier, I mentioned taking actionable steps as a part of resetting your mindset.
It’s not enough to just muse on new thoughts, we must be proactive and intentional towards these thoughts.
It’s collaborative work beginning in the mind, backed by actions, and solidified by consistency.
They work hand in hand and the action is necessary in building belief towards your thoughts.
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No matter how hard it gets or despite how much we may struggle at the start, we must stay committed to the process if we truly desire different.
Our old way of thinking took consistency, repetition, and relative action whether it was attained consciously or unconsciously.
When we want different, we have to become different. To develop a new way of thinking requires conscious effort.
If you’re tired of the old, you must pursue the new with intention.
What you think, will determine what you are so you must become what you want starting from your mind.
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Apply intentional thoughts often and take relative intentional steps – doing both often.
Be proactive about thinking differently.
If you were to redesign your own life how would that look and what do you anticipate your mindset would be?
Your answers to the above should be inspiration for thinking (and acting) in that way now, until your life becomes that way.
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It may sound delusional but remember, many ideas and thoughts were labelled delusional until they became proven.
It’s time you prove to yourself what you’re capable of.
Don’t worry about the opinions of others because the shape and outcome of your life isn’t theirs to determine.
It’s yours.
We don’t need someone else’s life for an opportunity to start over – we simply need to lock in on readjusting and redesigning ours because it’s possible.
It’s time to make life count.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward – Hebrews 10:35
