Taking charge of your mood

We've all had days where it feels like life is happening to us and we have absolutely no say. Now get ready- because this sounds so annoying when you feel like $h!t and all you want to do is crawl under the covers, order some sushi, and avoid avoid avoid but- We have more control over our mindset, thoughts, and mood than we realize. If you're feeling brave enough to move through your feelings instead of avoiding them (facing the monster in the closet), you can go from helpless to empowered... Read on.

Good job brave one!! So... what's the deal with this helplessness anyways?

The Learned Helplessness Experiment: A Lesson in Mindset

In the 1960s, psychologist Martin Seligman conducted a famous experiment that became a foundational piece of research in understanding human behavior. In this study, dogs were divided into groups and exposed to mild electric shocks. Some dogs had the power to stop the shocks by pressing a lever, while others did not. Over time, the dogs who had no control over their environment learned that they were helpless—they stopped trying to escape, even when given the opportunity.

This phenomenon, known as learned helplessness, shows how our mindset can keep us trapped in a cycle of feeling powerless. While this experiment was conducted with dogs, the lesson applies to us, too. When we repeatedly face challenges and setbacks, it’s tempting to stop trying and resign ourselves to our situation. Yet, unlike the dogs in the experiment, we have the tools to break free from this mindset (many of us didn't as children, making our learned helplessness extra sticky).

The Victim Mindset

As Martin Seligman showed us, the victim mindset is a natural phenomenon that is part of the human experience. It also gives us permission to... well, be the victim. And that means we don't have to take action. This is a deliciously tempting part of being the victim. It would be foolish to ignore this benefit. Changing patterns and taking action takes energy and is extremely difficult. Therefore, it's understanable to have the desire to avoid this effort, especially if it feels like there is no point. But here's the truth: you are powerful, flexible, and strong. You can do hard things and it feels so much better to fight for the life you want then to be the victim (EVEN when things don't go as planned).

Download Your Mindset Shifting Tool

Ready to take the first step in reclaiming your mindset? [Download the free PDF tool here] to get started on your journey. This resource is designed to help you identify/interrupt negative patterns and create positive momentum, one small shift at a time. Download the feelings chart to help you identify and move through the feels.