Michelle was in her forties when she felt missing something and realized she was unhappy with her life. She was living the life she dreamed of when she was twenty, and she was disappointed. Michelle had:

• beautiful home on a lot surrounded by nature with a gourmet kitchen and a view of the valley below
• a fulfilling marriage to a man that was her best friend and lover
• two busy teenage children active in sports and school activities. She adored them
• a dog named Barney that ran to greet her every time she came through the front door

But what Michelle didn’t know was that she was stuck in a rut.

Each day was a routine that never varied. She drove the same route to work, ate the same quick meals, and went home to have the exact evening schedules and conversations with her family.

She was going through the motions of what she thought was a happy life.

When she overheard someone at work talking about a “growth mindset,” she did a Google search and realized that’s what she’d been missing.

“I was careful to do everything right, to color inside the lines. But when I heard about the growth mindset, I knew my life lacked growth.

I had stopped trying new things and experimenting.” “My life had become predictable, nothing new, no challenges, no expansion, and no passion.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is a belief that even though you may not have certain qualities, you can develop them through learning and practice. It is seeing your possibilities from a positive perspective.

If you have a growth mindset, you might think, “If I practice my painting skills, I can improve at creating art.” Or you might say, “I can learn to meditate if I take a class about it.” Or you sign up for the belly dancing class you always thought about taking.

The beauty of a growth mindset is that it gives you freedom.

You can try new things, experiment, and study the results.

With a growth mindset, the outcome of a situation doesn’t become your identity.

How Can You Lean into a Growth Mindset?

Developing a growth mindset doesn’t mean you must do something radical, like sell all your possessions and move halfway across the world.

A growth mindset is more about staying open to new experiences and people.

It can be as simple as a willingness to try a hip-hop dance class at your local gym, change your comfortable routines, and seek out new relationships with people who are different from you.

What If You Surprised Yourself?

Michelle surprised herself by signing up for acting classes. She’d always loved musicals and liked performing in front of a crowd. So, she gave it a try and found it uplifting.

The classes had a benefit she hadn’t counted on either—increased confidence. She felt bold and empowered again.

This helped her lead more effective presentations at work, and within a few months, her boss promoted her.

Of course, not every surprise has been fantastic. Michelle also signed up for a knitting group. “I loved the people there but quickly discovered that knitting wasn’t my thing. Still, I’m glad I was willing to try the experience.”

How open are you to new experiences and people? Here is something I do each month. Give it a try.:

• get a blank 8 1/2 x 11-inch piece of paper
• please place it in front of you in the horizontal position
• make three equal columns
• at the top of the first column, write What I am Doing
• in the middle column, write What I should be Doing
• in the last column, write What I want to be Doing

Give yourself some quiet time to write in each column. You will be surprised at how clearly you can see and understand your growth mindset.

A growth mindset is a beautiful way to approach life. It means embracing the unknown and being willing to take risks, even when they feel scary (and fun!).

You may also be interested in What Are You Saying Yes To?

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Nancy Dadami is an Intentional Creativity Guide, Feng Shui Specialist, and cheerleader for your Soul. Her passion is to serve seekers, conscious creators, and online entrepreneurs called to expansion, education, and freedom. This results in living the best version of themselves, creating a life of abundance, self-awareness, purpose, and inner peace.