How often do you allow your mindset to interfere with your virtual assistant work? When confronted with a challenge, do you overcome it with self-confidence and perceive it as an opportunity for growth? Or do you succumb to the pressure and give up?
More often than not, our minds have sneaky ways of interfering and sabotaging our efforts, especially if we have negative perceptions towards uncomfortable situations.
Negative thoughts such as “I can’t do this” or “This is too hard” overwhelms our minds leading us to believe that we are incapable or not worthy of succeeding.
Luckily by practicing positive targeted habits, we can rewire our minds to embrace the discomfort and grow with challenges rather than allowing them to defeat us.
In this article, you will learn seven valuable tips to develop a positive mindset as a virtual assistant.
Your clients will not only value your radiant positivity and self-confidence but will applaud you with additional assignments, abundance, stability, and praise as you show them your worth.
The Importance of a Positive Mindset
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity”
Your thoughts play a significant role in your behaviors, attitude, and even the success of your business.
Every successful entrepreneur has experienced their fair share of obstacles. But their ability to bounce back and grow speaks for their continued success.
Learning about contrasting mindsets will help you understand the importance of how your thoughts will fuel your behaviors and lead you to your own future successes.
When confronted with a challenge or the possibility of failure, two mindsets determine whether an individual doubts their capabilities and gives up (fixed mindset) or moves forward (growth mindset).
According to Carol Dweck, the psychologist who discovered these two mindsets while analyzing early classroom behavior, those with a fixed mindset believe their skills are inherent and cannot change. They also strive for success within their comfort zone and avoid failure to ensure their self-perception is not affected.
Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, welcome challenges and view failure as opportunities for growth and expansion.
While it can be easier said than done, developing a positive mindset will build unshakable confidence to overcome obstacles and trust with yourself and your leads.
Not only will you notice significant changes in your daily habits and how you tackle professional barriers, but developing a positive mindset will also provide mental and physical benefits.
The science behind the benefits of a positive mindset
Did you know there is even science that proves the importance of being positive?
There is increasing popularity and an emphasis on the importance of how our daily thoughts affect our lives.
Thankfully due to trending cognitive practices and more scientific research, we are learning to value our mental health as we perceive and prioritize our physical health. Practicing meditation, mindfulness, and self-care is as important as diet, fitness, and getting regular check-ups.
Several studies have also found a strong relationship between optimism and longevity.
According to a study in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, both male and female participants who had higher levels of optimism were physically healthier and had a longer life span surviving to 85 years of age. It is amazing how optimism can even add years to your life!
This study and many others prove that prioritizing self-love, self-belief, and developing an overall positive mindset, decreases stress levels, builds the immune system, and reduces our risk of cancer, heart disease, and a myriad of other illnesses.
While staying healthy is a central goal, we must prioritize behaviors, habits, and experiences that aid our mental health. Continue reading to learn seven valuable tips to developing a positive mindset to create a better quality of life, both professionally and personally.
1. Develop a positive mindset with an intention
When you’re knee deep in the stress and overwhelm, it can feel impossible to find a sense of relief. We’ve all been there and sometimes you’re wondering if you should just take a break or get another coffee! Que the caffeine. But before you give up, set an intention and repeat this intention throughout the process. We know it will help because we’ve been there! You’re not alone!
An intention is a present tense statement of your desired goal. For instance, as a virtual assistant who is completing a challenging task, your intention might be “I have the skills to complete this task before the deadline”. Repeating your intention consistently will help you build trust in your capabilities and talent to accomplish your goal. It is your happy reminder that you already possess what you need and can retrieve the required resources to achieve success.
As an added component, try visualizing yourself as achieving this goal/task before the deadline. It feels so great, the sense of accomplishment! Visualization is a powerful tool that creates a mental image of yourself fulfilling your intention. Setting an intention and visualization are cognitive tools that will help you develop a positive mindset and lead you to become a great virtual assistant.
2. Develop a positive mindset by focusing on your qualities
Many people who have low self-worth become overwhelmed by negative thoughts, comparisons, and criticism. They believe their qualities are inferior, and they don’t possess the confidence to problem solve and succeed.
If we want to shift the narrative of a battling internal dialogue, we need to focus on our strengths and positive qualities. We all possess skills, personal achievements, and qualities that make us unique. Right now, I want you to think of the top three qualities that you have. Go ahead, jot them down on the nearest post it note or say them outloud!
Remembering these traits and even what your clients love about you will silence self-criticism and disbelief and enhance our determination to develop a positive mindset in our everyday lives.
3. Develop a positive mindset with journaling
Have you ever sat down with your favorite notebook and pen to start getting your thoughts out or brainstorming? Journaling allows us to creatively write and ask internal questions to understand the cause of the problem, our subsequent emotions, and the underlying reasons for our self-doubt and negative mindset. It’s also a great opportunity to brain dump your ideas!
Asking questions such as “Why is this a challenge for me and what can I do differently to overcome it?” helps us shift our mindset and gain a new perspective. It also builds our self-awareness leading to a more trusting and enhanced relationship with ourselves. I encourage you to get your favorite coffee and sit down to journal even if it’s for 10 minutes!
4. Develop a positive mindset with consuming mindfully
While swiping content for hours and staying up-to-date on your accounts seems harmless, studies state otherwise. According to a systematic review by Cureus, social media platforms harm the psychological health of their users. It found social media envy, in particular, increases levels of anxiety, depression, and stress resulting in a poor self-image. This study and several others are demonstrating the existing relationship between social media and a negative mindset.
Apart from social media, we also have an innate tendency to focus on negativity. A negativity bias is our brain’s mechanism to believe, learn from, and use negative information more than positive. Because of our brain’s sensitivity to unpleasant content, we also need to be mindful of what we consume and how long we consume.
While swiping, ask yourself questions, such as how does this content make me feel and how does this affect my behaviors. This self-reflective technique will help you better understand your emotions and the effect it has on your behaviors. Let’s face it, sometimes we’re better off putting our phones on “do not disturb” and getting back to our task or what have you.
5. Develop a positive mindset by practicing self-care
If we do not value ourselves and have a poor self-image, we can often subconsciously cultivate reasons that lead us to believe we are unworthy of self-care. As virtual assistants, we regularly struggle to manage a work-life balance.
Unlike many other professions, freelance work doesn’t operate in the traditional 9-5, thus causing us to analyze and criticize whether our day-to-day accomplishments are perceived as productive enough by society. We may ignore signs of burnout, avoid taking a day off and reject any break to ensure we work a socially approved amount of time.
But it’s time to shift the narrative, and a part of developing a more positive mindset involves creating beliefs that we deserve and are worthy enough of self-care. Take that afternoon off, go to lunch with a friend, spend more time with your kids in the morning…whatever fills your cup! Do those things. We need to give ourselves breaks and find moments to relax without feeling guilty. Cultivating self-care will help you to develop a positive mindset and love yourself that much more.
6. Develop a positive mindset with affirmations
Overcoming a professional or personal challenge is not an easy process. It causes stress, self-doubt, emotional fatigue, and many other unpleasant feelings. To decrease the stress and shift the mindset, try decorating your workspace with positive affirmations. Ladies, we all love cute office decor! It can be a simple as an affirmation on a post-it stuck to your computer or a sign about your workspace.
Positive affirmations or mantras are empowering statements that provide encouragement, motivation, and confidence in your capabilities. Statements such as I am enough, I am worthy, I can overcome any obstacle, and I have the capabilities to succeed, reassure you of your skills. What are your favorite quotes or affirmations?
Self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988) shows that we can maintain our sense of self-worth or self-integrity by repeating positive affirmations to build a positive mindset. As humans, we are conditioned and wired to avoid threats to maintain our self-perception.
By decorating your workspace with positive affirmations and self-love reminders, you create a supportive environment that boosts your ability to develop a positive mindset. Besides, who doesn’t love a cute workspace!
7. Develop a positive mindset by getting outside
In the digital age, we tend to focus more on our screens rather than going outside and getting fresh air. Multiple studies increasingly prove the connection between nature and our mental health. Even taking a brief walk outside can have a significant impact on our mindset.
When we get outside, the brain has a stronger ability to develop new pathways, react less to stress, and improve our memory. Prioritizing time to disconnect from your computer, phone or any of your work will allow you the much-needed time to destress, recollect, and get a fresh perspective!
You’ve got this!
When you push yourself to overcome a challenge rather than allowing it to defeat you, you will feel more confident and have a sense of accomplishment. Remember to not allow societal expectations or your mind to fill you with self-doubt. You have the capabilities, the know-how, and the resources to conquer and master any challenge. The team at Mrs. Smith Assist believes in you! With a cup of coffee in hand you are ready to take on the day, and believe in yourself.
If you have any more tips that helped you on your virtual assistant journey, please comment below. Let’s start a positive-filled discussion that supports virtual assistants in overcoming challenges and to develop a positive mindset.