How To Change Your Mindset and Turn Lions into Kittens

by Pearl Chiarenza

Life becomes more stressful with each passing year. The impact of stress can pose serious challenges to your health and happiness. Much of our stress is the result of habits that have a negative impact on our lives.

Hi, my name is Pearl, I know this firsthand because I used to feel like a doormat, always saying yes to others, allowing my schedule to be determined by the needs of my work or family, lacking time for my own self-care, being afraid to put myself first because I thought others would think less of me or that I lacked compassion towards other.

We create our own stress and become less capable of dealing with it effectively.

It’s not just our bodies that are a result of evolution. Likewise, it’s also our minds and our psychology that have been shaped by the world that we evolved in and where a lot of our most unusual behaviors come from.

When we were evolving, we were in far more dangerous

scenarios than we are now, never affording to take risks.

Only the psychological traits that made us most likely

to survive passed on from one person to another

and that means that they are the only ones that matter.

This is why we are risk-averse by nature, and it is also – unfortunately – why we spend a lot of our time experiencing chronic stress.

The Danger of Ambiguity

Imagine that you were in the wild, looking at the silhouette of some kind of animal sitting on the horizon. You don’t know if that silhouette is of a lion or some kind of kitten… what do you do?

The most pertinent solution in order to survive is to assume the worst. Assume it’s a lion and either freeze or run. The people who take chances would be the most likely to get eaten and thus not pass on their personality traits!

The problem is that we do not see lions anymore. This is not the biggest threat to your life right now. Instead, the biggest stressors are things like debt, illness, relationship problems, and career issues.

These threats are the stand-ins for the lions and that we now must try and overcome if we’re going to be successful in life.

And unfortunately, we still have that tendency to assume the worst!

It is All About Perspective

It is really about perspective and our mindset when reacting to threats in our lives. When you think it is a kitten, you will find yourself remaining cool, happy and calm even facing the metaphoric lion.

It pays for us to reassess the challenge, taking control of our anxiety and stress we remove what causes us to perform and feel worse.

Can I change my mindset to be like a kitten?

Absolutely! Look at what is causing

you to be afraid, deciding whether it

is the reason you are. In addition, come up with mechanisms to handle the challenge and alternate plans.

It really is about changing your mindset that leads you to changing the reality.

Start Fresh

If you feel like life has become predictable, unfulfilling, and boring, it’s time for a fresh start. Making a change is not turning your life upside down; it is an opportunity to stand back and revise your current way of life. 

1.Work out What Makes You Happy

Have you ever sat down and ruminated about what makes you happy lifting your spirits putting a spring in your step? What makes your heart sing? Make a list of what makes you happy, taking action so you can focus on bringing more joy into your life. 

2. Practice Saying Yes

Get out of the comfort zone of your everyday life doing something different. When was the last time you tried something new or challenging? Be open to new experiences, say yes to yourself, and choosing things that feel good.

3. Make a Stop Doing List 

Once you start saying yes to the things that feel good, practice saying no with a stop doing list! There are some things you have no control over, what energy-draining tasks can you eliminate from your life. Write a list of energy draining things you can choose not to do freeing up time for what makes your heart soar. 

4.Declutter

Look around you right now what is holding you back. Clutter includes spending hours scrolling through social media, limiting beliefs, bad lifestyle habits as well as all that junk in the kitchen drawer. 

5.Say No to Fear

The most empowering thing to get out of a rut is to walk away from fear. Fear stops you from taking risks, big or small. It makes you afraid to try anything new holding you back from reaching your potential. 

How do you turn your situations into kittens?

You assess exactly why you are afraid and whether there really is a good reason for you to be. Likewise, you can look at contingency plans and coping mechanisms.

Want to see if your mindset is that of a kitten? Take our mental fitness quiz at pearlssurvey.com/pqquiz to see if your purring or roaring in your mindset.

Ready to promote harmony in your life? Download our free e-book at PearlsEbook.com.

Find me at:

Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn @Pearl Chiarenza

Podcast: YouTube/Spotify @Conversations with Pearl

On my website at:

WSLiving.com

WSLivingRetreats.com