Mind Power vs. Mind Traps

Have you ever thought about mindtraps? And if you did, what is your biggest trap?

You probably would agree with me, that our thoughts, and what follows from curiosity, analysis and reasoning are the source of innovation, creativity and progress, and you might also agree, that some thoughts can hijack our judgement, blur our perception and simply derail our progress.

Take a minute now to reflect; how many times did your thoughts hold you back? And How many times did you tell yourself that you are not up to it, not ready and even beaten yourself up?

By now, we are familiar with the term “glass ceiling” that refers to limitations imposed by external factors such as culture, societies and organisations. But how about glass ceilings (or even glass boxes) that are the creation of our very own thoughts; in which our minds erroneously dictate our inability to progress and advance. I believe that half of the solution is awareness and being mindful of the power of our thoughts.

For the second half, I think it requires self-training and a decision to lead our thoughts instead of following them. And always surrounding ourselves with a support system and allies that can help keep our thoughts and emotions in check. 

In many occasions we find ourselves capable of giving balanced and rational advice to others that we would rarely follow if we were in a similar situation because we fall victim to mindtraps and possibly situational trauma.Looking at incidents from a third-party perspective and trying to strip away clouded perceptions might prove to be effective and help avoid over/under reaction. 

Also, realising that life situations are not a clear black and white, and there are all colour spectrums and shades in between can help provide better judgement and interpretations. This might overlap with the advice of seeing the glass half full and trying to celebrate the fullness rather than dwelling on the emptiness. Some would call this optimism, and I like to refer to it as positive attitude and developing healthier wellbeing that helps clear the mind and soul, and make room for further progress. 

In my opinion, we can become better individuals, teams, societies and communities if we work on not falling victims to thoughts and mind traps. I strongly believe that half of the population can be an integral part of economic growth, by believing in themselves and by being believed-in; that they can be whatever they want in life, whenever they want.

Happy International Women’s Day Everybody!