Mindset is a buzzword that has permeated our culture. It has become a cliche because people use it without thinking about what they are saying or why and that is a touch ironic. So I’m not a big fan of the word mindset but I haven’t come up with a good alternative so I am very open, in the meantime to continue using it.
What is a mindset? It is a set of beliefs we have picked up somewhere along the way. The deepest ones, good and bad seem to stem from our childhood. The stem from a time when we were very impressionable and came to believe in all sorts of things that has served us well but has also held us back from being who we should be.
I have two mindsets that I need to change and I have been working hard on changing them, but it’s not easy. There is probably more but these are pretty wild. It is also a lot easier not to try to change, to just keep making the same mistakes over and over again. It is definitely much easier being a fatalist and resigning yourself to just being stuck.
The first mindset I need to change is how I see my contribution to the world. I’ll be honest that I have very lofty and big dreams. I want to contribute to the world through my words and images in a major way, but like a child I always hunger for validation.
I learned recently that as much as I need to stride for validation on the outside, the most important validation has to come from within. I have to stop seeing myself as second fiddle even though I have never fiddled, but no matter. I have to stop seeing myself as second best, stop comparing myself to other people who are similar or trying to get the same things, and just be me and be content to be me.
The second mindset I need to change revolves about the idea of money. I’ve had a long run, coming from very little, believing that money is a scarce commodity that people will not pay for my services, because nobody has money and this is simply not true. People always pay for value. We pay out thousands for weddings and funerals. We purchase expensive cars and exotic get away. I have to change how I see money because it really is a story. It is neither scarce or abundant. It is neither hard or cold. Money is an exchange and holds no value on its own. It is nothing more than a conduit between the person who offers something and the person who accepts.
It has been a bit of a transition and these journals are my new reality. They are a lot more personal and a lot less philosophical and this is beginning to feel at home again.
Thank you for reading. As long as a pair of eyes want a little more. I will gladly take the effort to oblige them.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@calypso999
