Elements to a Healthy Mindset to Fight Lupus

It’s hard to change your mindset when you are dealing with pain every day. It becomes a task that can sometimes feel impossible. Every day we work to stay positive in the midst of pain and simply stated it is difficult. As I battle lupus day-to-day, I find that my mindset is so important in dealing with lupus issues.

What is mindset?

Mindset is defined as how people think and adopt certain behaviors. It is your mental attitude or the way you think about your ability. It is often shaped by experiences and conditioning. Many may believe a mindset is not important, but in fact, it really is essential to living well beyond lupus.

There are 2 different types of mindsets that you can have, a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is believing that you were born with a set ability that can not be changed. A growth mindset is believing that you can control your own ability and can learn, grow and improve. Both mindsets lead to different behaviors and of course different results.

Why is mindset important?

Your mindset is important to help you reach goals in your life. It kind of helps you get the results you are looking for in your moments in life. But mindsets aren’t just for the goals in your life and learning something new, it also helps in the way you think about everything, lupus included. From diagnosis to the present day, I have used the growth mindset to get through some hard lupus issues. When I think about it, I have used the growth mindset in every facet of my life. It has helped me get through many different situations that a fixed mindset would have made me stagnant. I feel like cultivating a growth mindset was one of the most important things I have ever done. It has helped me create a healthy mindset that fuels my reactions to what lupus issues can do to me.

How can you create a healthy mindset?

You can create a healthy mindset to help you through those difficult moments.

1. First you have to be CALM. Calm your mind when you are in the middle of an issue. This calmness brings focus and awareness to what is happening and what you are thinking.
2. Second, give yourself someCLARITY. Have a clear idea of what is important in your life. Be clear on your priorities and goals and remove those things and people that may bring uncertainty.
3. Third, give yourself some COMPASSION. An unhealthy mindset can be directly related to a lack of self-compassion. Be kind to you and don’t worry about comparing to others.
4. Fourth, work hard at CONCENTRATING. Your concentration is about being committed to YOU. Keeping the focus on your goals and what is important to you is important. Don’t focus on the distractions from outside sources.
5. Finally, move in COURAGE. Don’t procrastinate because it will keep you stuck in a stagnant place. Find the courage to really take action even when you don’t feel ready.

It’s important to have a can-do attitude as you battle lupus. Removing the limitations of a fixed mindset can be liberating in dealing with lupus day-to-day. Your confidence will grow and your ability to deal with lupus issues in the healthiest way will increase. Your healthy mindset will allow you to live well beyond lupus.