A great friend of mine once told me:
"Every time you say 'It is just the way I am' you are preventing yourself from developing and evolving into something new."
This simple sentence changed my life.
Ten years ago I was a city woman and I really disliked everything that might resemble sport, especially outdoors: "It is just the way I am" - I said to the people that I met.
Then, I moved to Switzerland and I met my friend.
Switzerland's stunning nature slowly won me over. And my friend's sentence opened my mind to a new possibility: the way I am might actually change!
At the age of 31, I completely changed my lifestyle. Something clicked when I started running in nature, like the forests and lakes near Zurich. Since then I have taken part in 6 half-marathons in 4 years and I practice yoga and x-fit every week. I also started spending a lot of time outdoors: hiking, camping, sailing. Finally, two weeks ago, I became a certified Functional Bootcamp Trainer myself!
Changing my lifestyle strongly impacted my private and professional life: I am now more focused, balanced and confident.
With this simple sentence my friend created a new possibility in my life: I can choose to be very different today from who I was yesterday. Since then my motto is "Never say never". Not only can life bring unexpected changes but you can also embrace the growth mindset and evolve.
However, I need to be honest. Embracing the growth mindset is not all sunshine and rainbows. But if you start with the right foot and the right support, it can be one of the most powerful actions you'll take in your life. More on this in the next post.
*** This is a topic I am really passionate about, and would love to hear your thoughts and feelings.