Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

I just started reading Joe Dispenza’s book Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself. The idea that you can manifest your reality by shifting your thoughts and feelings is fascinating to me. Joe says, “If you want a new outcome, you will have to break the habit of being yourself, and reinvent a new self.” Our mind and body must be aligned to achieve this new state of being that can manifest new possibilities, which can help you mentally prepare for your success. This idea shifts us from a state of reaction to creation, or more simply put, our thoughts create our reality.

Soccer In The Sand

I experienced this in action over the past month while playing soccer. First, I played in my first beach soccer tournament with friends in Seaside, Oregon. My initial self-doubt and fears almost stopped me from playing. I eventually quieted my disempowering questions: “What if I’m not good enough for the team? What If I let my team down? What if I don’t get along with my new teammates?”

Instead, I envisioned the possibilities of positive experiences and ultimately said yes to new friends and good times. Throughout the tournament, I even insisted our team would make it to the championship game – even when it didn’t seem possible. While we technically did not make it, another team no-showed for their game against the championship team. This meant we got to scrimmage against the championship team instead! This was manifesting in action.  

Mentally Prepare for Your Success 

You can create success by mentally preparing for it. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. But did you know mental practice leads to progress just like physical practice? A mental rehearsal (otherwise known as visualization, or imagining yourself performing an action) produces results!

In a University of Chicago study, three groups were tested on how many free throw shots they could make. The first group practiced free throws daily for one hour, while the second group mentally rehearsed their free throws, while the third group did nothing. When they were retested after 30 days, the third group (no practice) did not improve as expected, while the first group (physical practice) improved by 24%. Guess how much the second group (mental rehearsal) improved? 23% – almost as much as the physical practice group! This practice helped the group mentally prepare for their success.

Ready To Dominate

I’ve been making it a point to carry this confidence with me into each of my soccer games. Cultivating belief in myself as a step towards achieving the outcomes I want. I mentally rehearse my success by visualizing a winning game. I envision what a strong offense and defense looks like.

At my last game, I asked my teammate if he was ready to dominate – and he promptly replied “nope”, and said he was ready to be dominated instead. He was not the only one with this mindset. This team was number one in our division, and prior to this season, our team was consistently towards the bottom. Can you guess what happened? While we didn’t quite pull off the win, losing 7-6, my confidence helped me to mentally prepare for success and play one of my best games ever, scoring 5 goals!

Your Mind Matters

Not quite convinced yet? In another study referenced in Joe Dispenza’s book Evolve Your Brain, subjects who mentally rehearsed one-handed piano exercises for two hours a day for five days showed similar changes in their brain as subjects who physically performed the identical piano exercises!

This fact shows that we can neurologically change without physical or environmental factors. It also suggests that we have even more control over cultivating our success than we realize. Belief in yourself matters. It’s what you need to get to the next level. Your mind is your biggest competition. Of course knowing this is one thing, but putting it into action consistently is another. 

Are you ready to change your mind and change your life? If so, I invite you to explore and reflect on the following:

• What is one big action you want to take? 
• How would it feel to complete this action? 
• Embrace those thoughts and feelings now and mentally prepare for your success.
• Continue to channel these thoughts and feelings to manifest your reality.
• Notice how this influences your next steps.

In Conclusion

When you are seeking change, you cannot repeat the same actions and thoughts and expect a different outcome. Instead, recognize the power of your thoughts and mentally prepare for your success. Visualize the results you want to achieve. Focus on these empowering thoughts and feelings and notice how your outcomes shift. I look forward to what’s next for you! Take care, and here’s to your happiness and health! 

~Coach Sara