Master Your Mindset and Tame The Roaring Beast Within

Have you ever felt like self-doubt and pessimism was a roaring beast in your head whose goal was to bring you down?

I sure have.

For me, the biggest problem I’ve been facing in recent years was my pessimistic mind set. Ugh, I had been feeling like poop.

It seemed that life at my age wasn’t going to be that good. My mental energy had plummeted. While I used to have a pretty active life, I found myself spending whole days binge watching Netflix or playing free cell on my computer.

How’s that for a waste of life?

This was not the right place to be. The worse I felt, the worse it got.

I knew I had to turn things around.

So here I am working on mastering my mindset. Like a lion tamer with a whip and a chair, I decided to bring the beast under control. I have read so many books and articles around this subject, because I knew it is the missing ingredient to having a fabulous life.

In a nutshell, this is what I’ve learned so far.

I know this sounds hokey when people say it, but I try to live in a state of gratitude.

Several times a day I take a few minutes to remember what I am thankful for. Sometimes it is big things, like I am grateful to have such great adult children that I have amazing relationships with. Other times it is the little stuff, like appreciating the big beautiful tree on my front lawn. It is so, so easy for us to concentrate on what we don’t have. But why not think about what we do have?

Getting out of the house is also huge.

It was getting so bad that my brother was getting concerned that I was becoming a recluse.

The truth is that it was just easier to stay home and not do much.

I actually also secretly enjoyed it. However, it does get old.

I think that is a part of getting older. Taking the easy way rather than the more fulfilling way. Up until the pandemic I made a point to do social things on the weekends. I had way more fun, and I wasn’t always stuck in my head. Of course, now I can’t go out, but I do make a point of calling friends and family so that I regularly engage with people.

Endeavoring to improve.

I once read a book that talked about not tolerating things in your life that bother you. They are considered energy drains. Every time you look at the cracked window you need fixed, or a faucet dripping or anything else that is less then ideal it is like a poke in your side.

Poke, poke, poke, it’s enough to drive someone to drink.

Instead, make a list of all the energy drains that surround you, then tackle each one in whatever order you want in an effort to bring a calmer mind.

Not only will you be happier, but you’ll find you have more vitality too.

Taking action in general makes me feel like I have control.

Action is my antidote to depression.

Facing the things that bother me straight on not only solves problems, but they also make me feel powerful.

It gives me back the control that I feel I have been missing.

Let’s face it.

Feeling powerless is easy when you get older.

That is why we must be vigilant in claiming our power. And remember this is a personal choice. Whatever that looks like for you is what you should be doing.

It can be as simple as having a clean and attractive home, to starting a business that supplements your income.

You need to figure out what it is and as Nike says, just do it!

Tell me, what are you doing to tame that roaring beast between your ears? Have you started to crack the whip? Or do you feel like it’s about to devour you whole?

Share your thoughts in our facebook group.

At least you’ll learn that you’re not alone!