The Four Keys to Your Best Decade Ever: Mindset

Over the last decade, it has been a race to the finish line. At this end of it, I can’t remember where the finish line was, but boy did I hustle! I was chasing moving up, attaining the gold star, and finally having a little more freedom. On this side of the decade, my work has paid off as I believe hard work always does, but during the journey, I have had to work through some bad habits, namely the comparison game.

At times, the goal was pushed even further into the distance by comparing myself to others. Others that I considered my peers, the same age as me that seemed to be doing much better, had me thinking that I should be doing much better too. They had that kind of car, a nice updated house, blingy decor, and a diversified portfolio. My identity was all tied up in someone else and what was really crazy is that it was all perception. These were not my besties, I had no actual knowledge of their finances or how happy they really were. I was making an assumption from their social media highlight reel.

When I realized that highlight reels only framed what they wanted to share, I became more introspective and offered myself more grace. I realized that comparing myself to someone I didn’t know on the internet was a losing battle. For all I knew, they could be in major debt, restless at night because the bills were due and they couldn’t pay, in a toxic or unhealthy relationship, the list goes on. I can’t worry about what I can’t control. I needed to understand myself more. If I could shout one thing from the rooftops as the bigger game-changer in life, it would be journaling. JOURNALING IS THE BEST!!! Okay, okay. I’m calm now… Oh, who am I kidding? I’m so not! I’m so blooming excited about it because I can look back at all the times I’ve felt growth, ratcheted up my life or business and link it directly to the intentional personal growth work in my little floral printed or gold leaf-lettered, always-coffee-stained notebooks.

Here are some of my favorite prompts for a fresh start:

What makes me happy?

What makes those I support happy?

What is the one thing that will bring me closer to my goal today?

What do I care about?

What is not important or urgent to me?

These questions center me and offer perspective. It shuts out the noise when all the world is trying to stop my scroll, take a piece of my wallet, or get me to implement the next biggest productivity trend. When I journal, the world fades away. All becomes still and quiet and clear. The words that flow from the prompt and then run a little for free-form as I continue are sometimes unexpected and sometimes not, but it is always offers clarity on me. When I realized that everyone is so different, and unique, I also realized that all our lives, if we were pursuing our individual truths are going to lead very different lives. Instead of comparing ourselves and feeling less-than, what if we supported and celebrated each other’s journeys while honoring our own? We’d all be free and aligned with our calling.