Mindfulness and Growth Mindset
Introduction
In some professions, especially education, the terms ‘mindset’ and ‘mindfulness’ are a great deal of talk. These two terms are quite confusing, and since they both start with the word “mind”, many think that they have the same meaning. However, Wiersema et al. (2015) inform us that mindset and mindfulness are very distinct words, yet at the same time, they can effectively complement each other. Educators who would like to introduce these approaches to students or their colleagues should first have a clear understanding of how the two words differ, overlap and interplay with each other. According to Lauria (2018), your mindset affects the people you are working with based on how you approach them. On the other hand, your mindfulness guides the relationship that you develop with your awareness. Either way, both mindset and mindfulness involve the working of the mind, and they influence how we interact with our colleagues.
Mindfulness entails being aware of our thoughts, emotions and our feeling, both physically and mentally. Albrecht (2018) terms it as a form of self-meditation about ourselves, followed by acceptance. Mindfulness also refers to being aware of our thoughts and feelings and not judging ourselves. It makes us become observers of ourselves. By being mindful, we can see our imaginary thoughts and judge them as unreal production of the mind. By shifting our thoughts from a default mode, we can grow (Wiersema et al., 2015).
On the other hand, growth mindset refers to the shift in the way we view intelligence, learning and achievement. Having a growth mindset means that we do not limit ourselves, and thus we can achieve much in life. A person who has a growth mindset does not have only one way of thinking. He/she believes that our minds are not limited and that their potential, skills and intelligence are dynamic and easily cultivated. People with a growth mindset do not fear trying new things. They have the courage and love for learning and a resilience that is needed for outstanding achievement (Hellthaler, 2019). There is no doubt that people with a growth mindset have a high propensity to accomplish great things in life.
There are various ways in which I can use both a growth mindset and mindfulness in my personal life. As a student, having a growth mindset helps me scale the heights of education. A growth mindset helps me view learning as a personal improvement rather than a competition (Hellthaler, 2018). This means that I am more concerned with how I can use learning to change my thoughts and solve problems that affect me as a student. I do not study hard so that I can outdo others in the class but rather to gain knowledge that will help me solve not only the problems affecting me but also those affecting my community members. Having a growth mindset also allows me to view the mistakes that I make as opportunities to improve. When I make mistakes, I do not get paralyzed or derailed by them. Instead, I take my time to know the cause of the problem and then explore more to get a solution. I can confidently say that it is through having a growth mindset that I’m able to emerge as the best among my colleagues. When I become sick, growth mindset helps me recover from the illness because of the belief that I can do something about it.
Mindfulness has played an important role in my life. First, it has helped me attain flexible thinking in that I can develop different options for solving a problem. Most students like me fail in exams because they are mentally limited and tend to have only one way of thinking when handling any problem. Mindfulness thus gives me different options for handling exam questions, and this is why I always emerge as the top student in the class. Practising mindfulness also increases my ability to regulate my emotions. If I am faced with a difficult situation, I develop the belief that I can manage it even if I do not have the means to do the same. This inner-generated energy that everything is possible helps me avoid cases of stress, anxiety and depression. Albrecht (2018) says that practising mindfulness disengages certain brain pathways that allow us to shift our thinking to achieve positive results. As a person who practices mindfulness, I can focus my attention and also observe my thoughts and feelings without judging them.
In my professional life, having a growth mindset helps me understand that intelligence is not given at birth and that I can still enhance my abilities. I am able to put more efforts into what I do, learn better and achieve higher in my profession. Through this, I can create more opportunities for my career and myself. A growth mindset has also made me believe that I must approach every task, no matter how challenging it is, with a mindset of growth, as advised by Lauria (2018). When I fail, I do not lose hope. I try again and again and finally; I end up succeeding. When I am teaching others, like informing them about the values of challenges and through this, I end up inspiring them to perform better.
On the other hand, I practice mindfulness in my career by connecting myself to my senses. Doing what my positive senses advise me to do has enabled me to achieve positive results, as claimed by Wiersema et al. (2015). When I am distracted, mindfulness helps me to switch off all the distractions and concentrate on what I am doing. Again, I apply mindfulness in my profession by connecting with others. Through these relationships, I am able to improve my knowledge and understanding.
Conclusively, growth mindset and mindfulness can be applied in the classroom when teaching young children. When I am in school, I do not praise intelligence and sheer effort. Instead, I teach young children the importance of planning their studies and trying new approaches to solving problems. Growth mindset and mindfulness helps me realize that students have different levels of understanding. When I am teaching, I do not concentrate on those children who can understand easily. I ensure that all children are part of my lesson by using simple strategies when teaching. Other times I use video clips to deliver content in class. I also give my students chances to work in groups and also give them tests and assignments to attest their levels of understanding.
Nevertheless, while in the classroom, I teach students the benefits of challenges and the power of the brain in overcoming such challenges. Finally, It is by having a growth mindset and practising mindfulness that I can interact freely with my pupils in the classroom, and this encourages them to ask questions. Growth mindset and mindfulness are thus essential in life, and every individual should embrace them.