Your mindset is a set of beliefs that determine how you see the world and yourself. It impacts how you think, your emotions, and how you react to any situation. To deepen your mindset will require you to deepen specific areas that will expand and broaden how you see things.
In this article we share 8 areas in your life you can deepen that will ultimately deepen your mindset.
1. Deepen your thoughts
The power of deep thinking is the essence of creativity. By managing your thoughts and expanding on how you can think differently and deeper, not only helps you with new creative ideas, and your sense of wonder, but it improves your overall ability of critical thinking. Ultimately, deep thinking is thinking about thinking. The most important time is right now, in this present moment, and generally it’s what we think about the least. We ponder our past, we dream about tomorrow, but we struggle just thinking about right here and now. Deep thinking can change how you feel and how you see things. Challenge yourself to be conscious of what you are thinking and to be intentional in deepening your thoughts.
2. Deepen your self-awareness
Mindfulness can be described as the mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Practicing mindfulness and being more self-aware is a popular teaching in our modern times, but the question is, how would one even know if they are lacking in mindfulness or self-awareness? The ancient philosopher, Socrates says, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” This should remind us that even the most conscious among us can never really know the full extent of his or her self-awareness. Accepting this humbling realization may be the best way to stay mindful of our thoughts and actions, and how deepening our self-awareness and mindfulness impacts our success.
3. Deepen your experiences
Could it be that the passion behind your goals and dreams is the experience? Maybe instead of asking yourself, “What do I want to accomplish, ask yourself what would I like to experience?” Look around your environment, what is surrounding you, and how do you feel about it? Is this the experience you want to be having? Research has shown that one’s experiences are far more meaningful than material things. Take time to enjoy and soak in every moment as though it will be the last and invest in deepening your experiences.
4. Deepen your conversations
One of the best ways to deepen the conversations you have with people is to follow the critical listening methodology. This means you listen to understand and without trying to form your own opinion. For most of us, this is very hard to do, and we really must practice developing this type of listening skill. The next time you find yourself in a meaningful conversation with someone make sure your focus is on, “What do you mean, verses what would I do?” Being a good listener will greatly improve and deepen your conversations.
5. Deepen your relationships
Every relationship we have begins with the relationship we have with ourselves. You can deepen your relationship with yourself as well as with those you care about by being mindful of how you react and communicate. We all crave love, intimacy, and genuine connections, but our unconscious habits can sabotage our most important relationships. Being aware of some of your relational tendencies and shifting from being reactive to responding with more compassion and understanding can be a huge help in deepening your relationships.
6. Deepen your resolve
To clarify the meaning of resolve, the dictionary describes it as “making a firm decision.” Resolve can also be described as purposefulness, commitment, determination, firmness, and decidedness. In practical terms, who and what you are today reflects your resolve in the past. Who and what you are to become will be a manifestation of your resolve today. Why is resolve important? Resolve is our steering mechanism that keeps us committed to staying on course to our desired objective. It makes us do things, accomplish goals, achieve objectives and it is resolve that puts us into action. Without it we would be like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly on the ocean of life. If you want to achieve the success you desire, you must deepen your resolve.
7. Deepen your faith
Although 84 percent of the world’s population professes some kind of faith, most of us do not spend as much time nurturing and growing our beliefs as we would like. It is easy to be too distracted by the stresses and obligations of everyday life to make practicing one’s spirituality a priority. However, you stand to enjoy many benefits if you focus on deepening your faith. Some of these benefits are tangible, while others are more subtle, but all are worth the effort it takes to get there.
8. Deepen your understanding
The world is ever changing, and if you want to remain competitive and stay up to date so to speak, you must always be learning. One can never know everything and there is always more knowledge to gain and wisdom to learn. When you deepen your understanding, it allows you to feel more confident, gives you more choices, and it motivates you to strive for more. Commit to becoming a life-long learner, always be open to more information, and be willing to adapt to change. Applying new ideas, strategies, and techniques will deepen your understanding greatly.
Being intentional about deepening your mindset will serve you well in building the life you desire and achieving your goals and dreams. Don’t allow limiting beliefs to hold you back from success.
Written by:
Kim Martin, Founder of I’ve Decided, INC