Don’t you love when Facebook memories pop up into your newsfeed? On this day…’xyz’ happened ‘x’ amount of years ago. Well, interesting thing happened to me today. What I was going to write about today–mindset–I apparently wrote an eerily similar article THREE years ago on the EXACT SAME DAY?!?! Say whaaaaatttt????? No, truly! Legit! Freaked me out a little bit too. I guess that just goes to show how important mindset is to our quality of life. (If you want to give the other article a read: https://faithfamilyfitness.blog/2016/12/16/joy/ )

My husband is a firm believer in the growth mindset philosophy. He actually teaches this concept regularly to loads of students and he has always practiced this concept, his research for proper instruction now has him even more committed to practicing what he preaches. So what is the growth mindset? In a very concise nutshell, “…growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” (Dweck, 2015) You’ve met these types of people: generally positive outlooks, no problem can’t be solved, sees failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, welcome feedback, etc.

The counter to the growth mindset are those who gravitate towards the “fixed mindset.” “…in a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.” (Dweck, 2015) You’ve met these people too: tend to not take feedback well, avoid challenges, can feel threatened by other’s successes, etc.

As we rev up for Christmas and the culmination not just of 2019, but another decade, my question to you is this:

What mindset will YOU be using in 2020?

This question doesn’t necessarily need to remain within the parameters of nutrition, but in any and all areas of your life. Reflecting on the past year, what areas in your life did you have a full on growth mindset engaged? How did you receive feedback? Did you use it to improve your ability within that area? Also, in what areas of your life were you, be honest here, of the fixed mindset? Why do you think that is? Were you not ready to make the necessary changes within this area because change is hard? Were you not fully ready to allow yourself to be vulnerable within this area therefore became defensive of any feedback and heard it as criticism?

I would like to challenge you to at some point take a honest account of 2019. Reflect and be still–if you’re able to find a still moment this time of year. Truly assess and be vulnerable with your account. Asking the tough questions ‘where do I want to improve?’ ‘Am I willing to allow someone else in and let them know where I want to improve?’ ‘If I am not willing, why won’t I let someone into this space?’ /What do I want to achieve (mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically) in 2020?’

Whatever the ‘it’ is that may have held you back in 2019, I encourage you to recognize ‘it’ and no longer allow ‘it’ to have anymore control over you as we enter 2020. Recognizing the ‘it’ inevitably allows us to learn, grow, and hopefully improve the area of our life where we allowed the ‘it’ to dwell. When we are willing to recognize what we have allowed to hold us back, we are no longer allowing it to control us.

So, here is to us. Identifying what may have held us back from achieving what we set forth (physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally) and no longer having the ‘it’ hold us captive. Here is to us taking the time to learn and grow and here’s to us becoming the best version of ourselves as we enter 2020!

May you and your families be blessed throughout this Christmas season and I pray you all are able to Choose Joy as we enter 2020!

See you next year!

Until next time,

-E