We have to be honest. When we first started hearing "growth mindset" in school lessons, it felt like one of things that everybody knows but no one wants to hear. New agey. Infomercial. Scammy.
Also everyone was already kicking and screaming about doing math and reading and really with this stuff??? But then we started looking into it. After studying the behavior of thousands of children, Dr. Dweck coined the terms "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset" to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. This is SUPER IMPORTANT for anxiety management. Recent advances in neuroscience have shown us that the brain is far more malleable, or shapeable, than we ever knew. Research on brain plasticity has shown how connectivity between neurons can change with experience. With practice, neural networks grow new connections, strengthen existing ones, and build insulation that speeds transmission of impulses. These means we can increase our neural growth by the actions we take! |
Mindset and AnxietyYou know that feeling you get when everything feels too hard and you just don't think you can do it and you really want to just quit?
Breaking down in anger or sadness is a fixed mindset. Of course you're going to feel that way sometimes. But you have to change the way you think about failure! Sometimes it helps to read about famous failures. When it comes to anxiety, a fixed mindset tells you anxiety is just part of who you are and that it can’t be changed or controlled. One study found that youth with a fixed mindset were 58% more likely to show severe symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to youth with a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset can significantly change your mental health. In order to have a growth mindset, you have to believe that change is possible and that the brain is able to be changed. It helps you manage anxiety because you're changing your perspective. |