A Growth Mindset

As a teacher, I believe that creating relationships and having a good rapport with students is essential to effectively teaching them. One of the things I always do to get to know my students is to ask them to give me a few adjectives to describe themselves. They use words like, kind, hardworking, athletic, etc. What is really interesting is when I get to see the same students year after year. Most of the time, their chosen adjectives stay the same. If they consider themselves an artist in first grade, chances are they will still hold that personal belief when I see them in 7^th grade, 10^th grade, etc.

The same is true for adjectives they probably are not as proud of. For example, many students will describe themselves as a procrastinator. They may say they are slow, messy, etc. These beliefs tend to stay with them.

This is also probably true for all of us. If you were told when you were little that you were not very creative, or not a very good speller, or not very clean, or not athletic, there is a good chance you still hold that belief.

You have what is called a fixed mindset. If you are always told you are not athletic, you begin to believe it, and that tends to become a fixed attribute you give yourself.

My goal as a teacher, and as an owner of a fitness center, is to get people to abandon these fixed mindsets and instead embrace a growth mindset. As a teacher, I ask students to add the word “yet” to the end of phrases. For example, if an elementary student says they are not a good artist, I ask them to add the word “yet” to the end of that phrase. While they may not see themselves as a stellar artist right now, with enough practice, they can improve and get better.

I see this fixed mindset most often times when it comes to health and healthcare. I hear phrases like, I’m not a runner, or I’m not a health nut, or This is just the way I am. Even people many consider to be “healthy” can have fixed mindsets. I’ll hear someone who really likes weightlifting say I’m not a runner or I’m not flexible enough to do yoga! I hear these things every day.

It is hard to embrace a growth mindset because it means that we need to be open to working at something. If you are not a runner yet, you may need to put in the time to try. If you are overweight because that’s just the way you are, you may need to put work into changing your eating habits. Adding the word yet to these commonly used phrases challenges people to work on areas that may need improvement. It isn’t always easy, and that is why these negative mindsets tend to stay fixed.

As summer approaches, we’d like to challenge you to take one or two areas of your life that need some improvement, and add the word yet to it this summer. If you don’t consider yourself an athlete, TRY. If you don’t eat healthy, TRY!

For some of you, you will need to “rip the band aid off”. If you want to become a healthy eater, that may mean you need to go buy all new groceries and literally throw away all the crap in your fridge.  If you are not a runner, you may need to find a friend to hold yourself accountable, put down some money on some good running shoes, sign up for a race, and start training. You may run 16 minute miles, but at least you are out there running! For others, it may work better to jump in gradually. Whatever the case, we encourage you to add the word yet, adopt a growth mindset, and start trying.

Below, I’ll list some awesome resources if you are looking for some resources to help you become a healthier, better version of yourself. Also, stay tuned for more information on a brand new weight loss program we are bringing to Redenius Chiropractic! We will bring you more information on that later!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Resources for you:

Juice Plus provides 30 fruits and vegetables daily in the capsule or gummy format. This is a great way to get the fruits and veggies your body craves. They also make shakes and protein bars: http://jr95695.juiceplus.com

Thrive Market is a great place to get organic food, household supplies, etc. at a discounted price: http://thrv.me/JuuQtY

Here is a list of local running races in Iowa you can sign up for: http://www.runningintheusa.com/race/list/ia

If you are looking for a personal trainer to hold yourself accountable this summer, contact Redenius Chiropractic at 712-464-3301 to get set up with our trainer, Melissa Schleisman.

The Ultimate Health Podcast has great weekly guests that discuss holistic ways to improve your overall health and wellness. They discuss everything from eating to exercise to mental health: http://ultimatehealthpodcast.com/

You can also always call the clinic at 712-464-3301 and talk to Dr. Redenius about how he can help you achieve your goals!

These are just a few of the resources we recommend! Comment below if you have any more resources to share!