Photo by Viktor Ritsvall on Unsplash
In short: Your mindset is the lens through which you see your life, and you can change it with practice. Three tools help a great deal: visualisation, to see clearly where you want to go; gratitude, to train your attention on what is good; and autogenic training, to calm your body and mind so that you can meet challenges with a clear head. A few minutes a day is enough to begin.
Have you ever felt as if you were stuck in a loop? Monday looks like last Monday. You make the same resolution on Sunday evening and drop it by Wednesday. You react to the same remark from the same person in the same way, and afterwards you’re cross with yourself, again. You’re busy from morning to night, between work, family and everything else, and yet nothing really seems to move.
It’s a very common feeling, especially for busy women who carry a great deal. And the way out rarely starts with doing more. It starts with looking differently.
What is your mindset, and why does it matter so much?
Your mindset is the lens through which you view the world. It colours how you interpret what happens, how you react to difficulties and, in the end, how you live your life. Two people can have the very same day: the train is late, a colleague is sharp, dinner burns. One goes to bed thinking “nothing ever works for me”. The other thinks “what a day, tomorrow will be better”. Same facts, different lens.
That’s why any real change in your life begins here. As long as the lens stays the same, you’ll keep seeing the same things and making the same choices. Change the lens, and new possibilities come into view that were there all along. I explain where this conviction comes from in mindset mastery: your key to a joyful, fulfilling life.
So how do you shift it? Here are the three tools.
Visualisation: seeing is believing
The first tool is visualisation. You create a mental image of the future you’d like, and that image becomes a beacon that guides you towards your goals. It isn’t just daydreaming. You’re actively shaping what comes next by picturing yourself succeeding, in detail, until it feels familiar.
To practise, set aside a few minutes each day. Close your eyes and picture your ideal life. See your goals as already achieved: where you are, what you’re doing, who is beside you. Then let yourself feel what you’d feel. The more vivid the picture, the stronger its effect.
If you’d like to go step by step, I’ve described the whole method, with an exercise for beginners, in manifest your goals: the power of visualisation.
I made a short video about this, you can watch it below.
Gratitude: where do you put your attention?
The second tool is gratitude. It’s more than saying thank you. It means recognising and appreciating what is good in your life, on purpose, every day. Our minds are very good at spotting what’s wrong: the one critical remark among ten kind ones, the single thing we didn’t get done. Gratitude trains your attention the other way. The more you look for the good, the more of it you notice, and joy and fulfilment grow from there.
Try this tonight
Keep a notebook by your bed. Each evening, write down three things you’re grateful for. Not only the big things: small blessings count too. The first coffee of the morning. A message from a friend. The sun on the kitchen table.
Then go one step further: write down something that hasn’t happened yet, as if it were already real. “I’m grateful that I walk every morning and feel strong.” This connects you with your future self, and it’s a powerful way to manifest what you wish for.
You can read more in how gratitude can change your outlook.
I talk about this in the video below.
Autogenic training: how do you find calm inside?
The third tool is autogenic training, a relaxation technique that reduces stress and brings a deep sense of peace. You learn to bring your body into a state of calm by yourself, wherever you are. And from that calm, you approach challenges with a clear, focused mind instead of a racing one.
It matters for your mindset because a tense, tired body sees problems everywhere. When your shoulders are up by your ears and your breath is short, every email looks like an attack. Once your body has settled, the same email is just an email.
Autogenic training can make a real difference, but it needs proper guidance to learn well, step by step. If you’re curious, start with what autogenic training is and how it leads to tranquillity and a calmer mindset.
Here is a video on the subject.
How do the three tools work together?
Each one does something different. Autogenic training calms you. Gratitude turns your eyes to what’s already good. Visualisation shows you where you’re going. Calm, appreciation, direction: together they change the lens.
You don’t need to do everything at once. On a Tuesday evening it might look like this: a few minutes of relaxation in your armchair when you come home, a moment with your eyes closed picturing the life you’re building, three lines in your notebook before you switch off the light. Start with the one that appeals to you most, and add the others when it has found its place.
Shifting your mindset isn’t always easy, but it’s worth every minute. The only limits that exist are the ones you place on yourself. Step past them, gently, and see what opens up. Your thoughts shape your life far more than you may think.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to shift your mindset?
There is no fixed time. Most people notice small changes first: a calmer reaction, a kinder thought, a little more hope. What matters is practising a few minutes a day, so the new way of looking becomes a habit.
Which of the three tools should I start with?
Start with the one that appeals to you most. Gratitude is the simplest to begin tonight with a notebook and a pen. Visualisation takes a few quiet minutes. Autogenic training is best learned step by step with a teacher.
Can I be grateful for something that has not happened yet?
Yes. Writing down something you hope for as if it were already part of your life connects you with your future self. It makes the wish feel real and possible, and it often shows you the next small step.
Do I need to do all three every day?
No. A few minutes of one of them, done regularly, is worth more than all three done once. You can add the others when the first has found its place in your day.
When should I talk to my doctor?
If low mood, anxiety or exhaustion last for weeks, get in the way of your daily life or your sleep, or if you feel hopeless, talk to your doctor. These tools support your wellbeing, but they do not replace medical or psychological care.
Would you like some help?
The way you think about food, your body and yourself has a great deal to do with how you eat and how you feel. That’s why mindset is part of what we work on in my group programmes in nutrition and health, such as Six Tuesdays in Montignac. If you’d like to hear when the next group opens, write to me at hello@catherinepolet.coach.
Would you rather work one to one? I also coach online. Book a free 20-minute call, and tell me about the loop you’d most like to step out of.
About Catherine
I’m Catherine Polet, a holistic nutrition health coach, yoga and autogenic training teacher for more than 30 years, author and speaker. I help people find a way of eating and living that suits their own body, online in English, French, Spanish and German, and in person in Southwest France.
