The ways in which you can create and express yourself are limitless, and whether or not you manifest your limitless nature, largely comes down to the view you have of yourself.
The exercise in today’s meditation compares how you see yourself to how you look at a flower. Are you able to look at yourself through the same lens?
How you see yourself leads to having either a fixed mindset, or a growth mindset. Carol Dweck has spent a lifetime studying mindset, and I’d like to share with you some of her words:
“For twenty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value. How does this happen? How can a simple belief have the power to transform your psychology and, as a result, your life?” – Carol Dweck
Here is her take on a fixed mindset:
“Believing that your qualities are carved in stone creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character — well, then you’d better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn’t do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics.” – Carol Dweck
Think of a wilting flower trapped in a pot too small. You believe your abilities are limited to just this container, leading to a constant need to prove yourself. You fear appearing “deficient,” leading to an unhealthy obsession with proving your intelligence, worth, and character. Every situation becomes a trial, every outcome a judgment of your very being. This pressure stunts your growth.
Carol suggests that you could cultivate a growth mindset:
“In this mindset, the hand you’re dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way — in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments — everyone can change and grow through application and experience.” – Carol Dweck
Picture a garden overflowing with diverse blooms. You see your talents as seeds waiting to sprout, nurtured by effort and experience. Challenges are opportunities to learn, setbacks are stepping stones. This open mind allows you to recognize your limitless nature, and leads you to blossom in unimaginable ways.
Embrace a growth mindset:
- Feed your curiosity: Approach challenges with “I wonder if…” instead of “I can’t…”
- Celebrate effort: Applaud yourself for trying, not just your results.
- Learn from mistakes: See them as stepping stones, not roadblocks.
- Embrace challenges: They’re opportunities to stretch and grow.
- Seek feedback: Use it to refine your skills, not define you.
It’s totally worth your time to read this article on Carol Dweck’s work, just follow the link: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/
Have a beautiful day!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: You are limitless!