Do you have a prisoner mindset?

glass half full or empty

glass half full or empty

Here’s an idea.

It’s a simply one that has the power to change the way you look at life moment to moment.  So I’ll keep it short.

Let’s take a glass and fill it with 50% water.

Now look at it.

Is it half empty or half full?

It’s the same glass.  With very different realities.

One has you feeling icky, unstable, and anxious. You’re in the game of lack, scarcity, not enough-ness.

Another has you in a different place; “at least there’s SOME, that’s better than none”.

If we were in a conversation together, we might do that daft thing humans do of trying to convince the other that we were right.

And the game of PROVING would start.

You might say, “Ok, there IS water in the glass and there’s clearly not enough. Look at all that space. See, right there up to the rim. If only there was more to fill it up.”

You’d wish there was and there just isn’t. Sigh.

And I might say; “But look, there’s all THIS.”

I’d pick the glass up with gusto and swill it round. Just so you’d see just how much there truly was. I’d say with glee, “at least we have this to drink”.

Off we’d go, adding arguments and stories to defend our position, wondering why the other person just couldn’t see our perspective.

Depending on which reality we were seeing, we’d BOTH be right.

We’d stay in our position and we’d go about our day working with what we have.

Here’s the funny thing (just in case you’re thinking, ‘I’m the smart one, I’d know there’s water in there that we should be grateful for.  Yay me.’)

We’d BOTH be limiting ourselves.

To one thing.

The glass.

The size of it.

And its contents.

Let’s call that the mind-set of PRISONER.

From that reality we’d see only the options available within those constraints.

A prisoner within the constraints of the size of the glass.

A prisoner of circumstance.

Of the external world showing up a certain way.  Reacting to that reality in the best way we can.

You know, because that’s the way it is.

Here’s a different mind-set.  The one of SELF-LEADER.

She comes along, sees us discussing how full or un-full the glass is and simply says,

“who cares, why don’t you just get a bigger glass and take it over to the tap and fill it up?’

BOOM.

Prisoner mind-set has you sliding straight into victim-hood. You give your power away to someone or something else and are playing with just what’s “left”.

Self-Leader knows that there are always options.

She asks “what changes can I make today, in this moment, right now?”  She knows there are endless possibilities and choices. Always.

So here’s something to play with;

Where in your life are you using the mind-set of Prisoner?

A clue; if you’re using language like;

  • I must….
  • I should,,,,
  • I have to….
  • I have no choice…

Look there, because that’s where the prisoner is hanging out.

Instead, slow down and make a different choice.

Start with your language; play with using this;

  • I want to…
  • I choose to…
  • I will…
  • I intend to….
  • I always have a choice and the one I choose in this moment is…

See how that feels. Notice the shift in energy. The shift in options.

And yep it’s a moment to moment dance.  But then you’ve always been a smooth mover.

There are ALWAYS options.  You just need to remember.

Loving you,

Nic x

1 thought on “Do you have a prisoner mindset?”

  1. Just grab the glass and enjoy the water. I might have a cuppa or a milkshake next time! Lovely blog. x

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