Annika's mindset journal

 

November 14th 

Day 1: My results showed that I had a higher percentage of a growth mindset. I believe that these result are accurate. I believe that my skills can develop when I put in the effort of learning new things. I started having a growth mindset in my 2nd year of university. In first year I did not put in the effort and thought I wasn't as capable of other students to do the work that was assigned. In 2nd year I started putting in more effort into my school work and made a positive change. Although my results were primarily a growth mindset, I can also understand how I can think in a fixed mindset. I sometimes allow my self to think that just because I failed in the past, I am incapable of change and I am destined to not do well in work. Through my journal I need to train myself to be able to break down these habits of thinking I don't deserve to be in school and learn how to put more effort into my studies. If I am able to fix my mindset I will be able to see positive development throughout different aspects of my life. 

- Annika Copeland 

November 15th

Day 2: Take on a new challenge 

For todays journal entry I decided to do one of the required activities. Today I made an actual calendar and wrote all my assignments and things that I need to complete. Usually I just make a note on my phone or computer of what I need to do, but this way I am able to be reminded of my tasks everyday when I look at my wall. I have always wanted to be more productive and stay on top of my work. I believe that this approach will help me do so. Ive always been told to physically write down tasks as a reminder to do them. By doing this I have learned that I can so easily be on top of my school work without having to stress about up coming deadlines. I learned that I am more productive when I can actually visualize what needs to be done. Reflecting on this experience I hope to make this a daily task of checking my calendar and adding to it if needed. 

November 16th 

Day 3: Become aware of your fixed mindset triggers

Today I decided that I would complete the required activity: Become aware of your fixed mindset triggers. 

I believe that a trigger for my fixed mindset is procrastination. I find that I like to wait until the very last moment I can. Sometimes I do this without being aware that I am doing it. I am able to reflect on times where my fixed mindset was triggered.

1) Once I have procrastinated, the thoughts come into my head that I should ever start because its too late anyway. 

2) I procrastinate taking my medication for 3 months.

3) Procrastinating going to the gym.

I think all of these results were triggered by the thought that what I am is what I am and I can't change. Moving forward I will work on realizing when I am starting to procrastinate and stop the action. 

November 17th

Day 4: Practice gratitude

Today I decided to to the practice gratitude option for my entry. From what I have learned from my past challenges is to appreciate the small things that bring you joy. I recently lost a close friend of mine and if I could speak on that experience it would be to appreciate the small things like hanging out with your friends and telling those who you love that you love them. I have found joy in hanging out with the people I care about. This allows me to feel happy with reflects on other aspects of my life. I find when my social life is good then my academic life improves as well. It allows me to be more productive. Finishing my work on time and properly allows me to be in a good headspace when hanging out with my friends and family. 

November 18th

Day 5: Start your day with a positive affirmation

Today I decided to do one of the optional responses for my entry today. Today I started of with the positive affirmation that all the skills are useful for a greater good. When reflecting on this positive affirmation I am able to look into the details of the affirmation itself. My skills of making good connections with people will help me in getting jobs after graduation. My skill of dedication will help me when doing my school work and dedicating myself to my studies in order to get good grades. Everyday I plan to reflect on this affirmation and write down how my skills can improve my life overall and help me reach my goals. 

November 19th

Day 6: Encourage feedback

For todays entry I decided to seek feedback from 3 different people in my life. The first person I went to was one of my professors for a film class I am enrolled in.  I was having struggles with my studies and understanding the content of the course. The feedback I received from my professor was to stop rushing my work and take my time. He told me to keep asking questions if I had challenges with the content and start proof reading my papers. I Believe that this all applies to the first thing that he told me was to take my time and don't rush. I can see how by doing this I can grasp the content better and do better overall. The second person I went to was my roommate. I was having problems with a friend in my personal life. She had told me was to stop overthinking things, stay true to my beliefs and stand up for myself. The third person I went to was my co worker. I was dealing with the rush at the restaurant I work at and she told me to breathe and slow down and stop trying to please everyone. I can see how all of these things can relate to one another. I see common trend that I need to take things one step at a time. Moving forward with my feedback I think that slowing down will improve all aspects of my life.  

November 20th

Day 7: Create a failure resume

For today I wanted to try doing the failure resume entry. The first failure I wanted to discuss was me failing out of my first year of university. The mistake that I made was that I didn't apply myself. Looking back at this experience it made me feel horrible not only was it a huge waste of money but it was a huge waste of potential. Moving forward from this, I try so much harder to do well in my studies and complete work that I am proud of. The second failure I want to talk about was getting fired from one of my first jobs. I had been working at this restaurant and got fired because I would often not show up for my shifts or when I was there I didn't do my job properly. Looking back at this I have changed so much since then. Im so embarrassed that I did those things. Now I am able to get a recommendation letter from every manager I have worked for. The 3rd and final failure is isolating myself within my friend group. I got into a relationship with someone and started isolating myself from my friends. After getting out of this relationship I looked back at the experience and it made me so sad that I was able to give up one of my biggest support systems for one relationship. Looking back at these failures I have changed so much. I can honestly say that I am thankful for these challenges because they have made me become the person I am. 

November 21st

Day 8: Embrace the joy of being wrong 

Recently I got into an argument with my mom about money. She was upset that I wasn't saving properly. Looking back at this argument I can realize that I was in the wrong. Even though it is not her responsibility to help me handle my money she wanted to help. Reflecting on this experience it made me realize that I should take the help that is being offered to me because it will make me better. I could have just accepted the help so I could have improved myself without the conflict. 

November 22nd

Day 9: Start your day with a positive affirmation

Today I started my day reminding myself that I am worthy of change and trying new things. About a week ago I told myself that I would do something out of my comfort zone everyday. So far I haven't been the best at keeping up with this goal but my positive affirmation this morning actually allowed me to complete my goal. Starting my day off with a positive mindset helps me further recognize that I am capable of change.  

November 23rd 

Day 10: Mentor others

Today I decided I would do the optional entry of mentoring others. My friend has been struggling with motivation in her studies recently. Today I decided to give her some advice that always seems to get me motivated. My something needs to be done, I find a way to get excited about it. Whether that means getting a treat after the task is complete, or finding a way to lean your interest more towards the topic of the project, increasing excitement gives great motivation to complete tasks. I told her to do this with studies and she got back to me saying she tried it out in class and it really helped her. I definitely need to take my own advice more often because it is so easy to become unmotivated but its about the ways to change that encourage us to stay focused and grow our skills. 

November 24th

Day 11: Play the "What If" game

Something I would do if I had unlimited money resources and support was start my own business. Taking this class we have learned so much about how entrepreneurs think. Entrepreneurs don't think outside of the box but create something new entirely. I would create a space to gather many successful or starter entrepreneurs and ask them to combine all their skills to create something great. Imagine what kind of things that all these creative minds could create. This allows for an infinite amount of start ups, ideas, and resources. 

November 25th

Day 12: Recognizing a fixed mindset in others

Someone that I can reflect on having a fixed mindset is my sister. My sister is someone who often gives up easily when the task is too hard and sees failure as permanent setbacks. As much as I understand this way of thinking I wish that she would start thinking with a growth mindset. I really do believe that when you are introduced to growth mindset thinking tendencies than you will subconsciously start doing it. She also often takes feedback as criticism and personal attacks. I wish that she would see feedback that I give her as opportunities to grow. 

November 26th 

Day 13: Celebrate mistakes

Today at work I was dealing with a very busy rush. I had been giving a cup of Pepsi to a customer and I completely spilled the beverage everyday. I knew immediately when that had happened that I needed to take a deep breathe and slow down. I deeply apologized and the customers were not mad because they could tell I was very upset. Id like to reflect on the experience and celebrate from it because in that moment I was able to calm myself down and slow down. That is something that I received feedback on in one of my previous entries. I realized that I was able to change from my fixed mindset habits and thinking how I can improve from the situation instead. I didn't just give up and accept defeat, I was able to overcome my challenges. 

November 27th:

Day 14: Seek out a challenging conversation 

Today for my entry I decided to participate in the "seek out a challenging conversation" exercise. I would consider myself to have a growth mindset. I am someone who uses my skills to my advantage and is constantly trying to learn how I can do better.  For this exercise I reached out to one of my friends who I would say has a very different mindset than me. Talking about the future is always scary. In my perspective I view the future and something to look forward to and a doorway to endless opportunities. I brought up the topic of what she wanted to do after graduating. I have found that most people I talk to about this has a similar answer which is "I don't know" I know that this thinking does not work for me. I try to step out of my comfort zone everyday and by doing this it means to think about the future. I was really able to compel the differences between out two mindsets. I wanted to challenge her to think about this topic. To step out of her comfort zone and to get inspired. Common thoughts amongst people with a fixed mindset is to avoid challenges. Although I tried to persuade her to think with a growth mindset, I did learn that its okay to be scared but you can't your inner thoughts stop you from pursuing something great. 

November 28th:

Day 15: Replace your fixed mindset thoughts with growth mindset thoughts 

As much as I have learned about having growth mindset and the journey of a successful entrepreneur, it is easy to get in your head about things. Sometimes I find myself only focusing on improving myself. This leads to a lack of care in how you get to the final result. By completing tasks in an unhealthy way it often leads to unhealthy habits. For example I wanted to work on improving my grades. I did this by staying up all night studying and cramming things. This led to a pattern of unhealthy habits like sleeping in and information only staying in my head for a short period of time. More recently I have been trying to take my time with things and focus on the multiple steps I can do in order to reach my goal. For example I can do this by studying a head of time and attending all lectures and classes. Instead of looking at it as "I need to do better" I can see it as "How can my skills and what steps can I take can help me achieve my goals" Another example I can think of is getting intimidated by other peoples success. I find myself thinking "Why aren't I as capable or good enough to be achieving the things that this person is doing" I can better my thinking by seeing the situation as "I am able to reach this persons level of success by dedicating myself to better things" The final way I can better my thinking is to rather than seeing a situation as "Because I failed or did poorly on this test I might as well give up now" I can view the situation as "How did I go wrong last time and what can I do in order to better this time" By changing my fixed mindset thoughts to growth mindset thoughts I am able to better myself in multiple different ways. This is ultimately lead to the mindset that I need in order to be a successful entrepreneur.

November 29th 

Day 16: Review your rejections

As mentioned before in this journal, in my first year of university I was asked to leave my program and the school due to my grades. As upsetting as this was, I knew it was coming. What I didn't know immediately is that it would be a huge learning experience. In my second year I was enrolled in the SAS program. I learned so much about how to be better in my studies. I learned about dedication, time management, and all the resources that Laurier provides to students to help them. This lead to me achieving the grade I wanted and allowed my mental health to improve to. Everything that I learned in that program, I continue to apply to myself today. I am able to see the improvement everyday. Although this was a huge setback for me, I learned so much and I am thankful for the experience that I was able to get back up after failure and use it to my advantage. 

November 30th 

Day 17: Practice Gratitude

Today for my journal entry I wanted to practice gratitude. I wanted to acknowledge something that I am very grateful for which is having the opportunity to go to university. University is very expensive and I am aware that it is a privilege to go here. It allows me to have so many great opportunities to further my education and success in life. By reflecting on my experience so far I am able to see how many skills and connections I have made by simply being enrolled at Laurier. I am very grateful that I am able to have this opportunity that not all can afford.

December 1st

Day 18: Learn from others

I have found that the best way that I learn is to be inspired. Today I had a talk with my dad who is someone who really inspires me. My dad works so hard everyday and is still constantly learning new things and applying his skills to every aspect of his life. I wanted to talk to him specifically about overcoming challenges in life. He told me that you have to think positively and take things one step at a time. He said that it is so important to have goals and everyday remind yourself of the little steps you can take to reach them. Reflecting on this experience I can see his traits of a growth mindset. Just like me being inspired by his success, he is inspired by his co workers successes and betters himself everyday. I hope that when keeping in mind that all the skills I have contribute to success I can be just like him. 

December 2nd 

Day 19: Read an article about growth mindset 

Today for my entry I wanted to read an article about how I can better growth mindset. This articles discussed the myths regarding growth mindsets, growth mindset realities, tips to help develop your growth mindset and more. Something that I really took out of reading this article was the tip on reflection why you want to develop a growth mindset. It asked the questions what is it about growth mindsets that motivates you to change. For me focusing on how to be inspired by learning motivates me to continue with a growth mindset. Individuals who have a growth mindset typically find learning to be enjoyable. The idea that learning is a continuous process inspires people to pursue new information and abilities. I want to have with mindset and being excited about learning will allow me to further develop my skills in a way that interests me. 

https://www.betterup.com/blog/growth-mindset

December 3rd

Day 20: Reflect on your mindset over the past week

The last week as been very hard for me. With exams coming up and completing final projects its been very easy to fall back into my fixed mindset tendencies. While I was working on a project for a class for film I was having extreme difficulties. The assignment was very difficult so I found myself avoiding challenges and doing the minimum. Because I was aware that I was doing this I reached out for help. My professor gave me insight regarding the assignment. After this I became much more excited. I had overcome my challenge by finding a way to solve it. I was thinking more positively about the work that I was doing. Reflecting on this experience I can confidently say that it is so important to keep up with good habits regarding growth mindset in times like final season. It improved my academic life and mental health overall. 

December 4th

Day 21

The journal entries over the last few weeks show a committed attempt to adopt a growth mindset and make positive changes. The choice to make a physical calendar on November 15th shows dedication to improving productivity and planning. I realized that visualizing tasks increases productivity is a useful skill that offers an effective approach for handling workload and deadlines. In other days a variety of growth mindset exercises are discussed, including recognizing fixed mindset triggers, practicing gratitude, postive affirmations first thing in the morning, getting feedback, and coaching others. These activities demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving and an active engagement with personal development. I realized that it's important to keep up positive habits during hard times, such as final exams which demonstrates the idea that adopting a growth mindset consistently improves both academic achievement and mental. 

These journal entries demonstrate my dedication to developing and improving my growth mindset and improving myself. Seeking feedback, embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and thinking critically about my perspective all point to an optimistic approach to both academic and personal development. After doing these entry I can say that I would like to continue and keep this proactive habit. The whole experience really put me in a routine. I saw myself improving in my academic life outside of just this class. One of the challenges that I really enjoyed doing was day 15. The goal was to replace fixed mindset ideas with growth mindset ideas. Acknowledging the tendency to concentrate only on  myself. I liked this because instead of just saying "No, I shouldn't think like that" I offered myself an opportunity to change. This 21-day journey demonstrates my dedication to both academic and personal development. The daily entries encouraged resilience, self-awareness, and optimism by acting as stepping stones. The entries emphasized how academic and personal aspects are interconnected and how crucial a growth mindset is for overcoming obstacles in life.