Ever feel held back by your own thoughts?

Ever feel held back by your own thoughts? Those are mindtraps.👇🏽

Mindtraps are habitual patterns of thinking. They distort our perceptions and lead to unhelpful beliefs and behaviours. We all have them.

For me, some mindtraps show up because I'm an immigrant, speaking English as a second language, with a strong accent—even after ten years in Australia. Sometimes, in professional settings, this makes me feel like a second-class citizen, reducing my confidence.

Intellectualisation is my natural coping mechanism, but my mentor, Siân Jones, helped me see things more clearly and gave me some extra tools. I wanted to share them with you!

Here are a few ways to circuit-break these mindtraps when they decide to play out:

• Ask: "How is this thought serving me?"

• Take a micro-break—breathe, reoxygenate, and reset the mind. (Try the physiological sigh: two inhales through the nose followed by an extended exhale through the mouth. This helps reduce stress and brings clarity.)

• If you're in a group setting and feeling inadequate or experiencing impostor syndrome, try objectifying your thoughts. Say, "The story I'm making up in my mind is..." This way, you're not blaming anyone, nor are you saying it's reality—you're simply sharing a narrative that's involuntarily playing out in your mind. It opens the door for dialogue and brings vulnerability into the room.

• Ask yourself why you're there. In that room. As part of that group. Doing what you're doing. It's probably not just because of all your achievements, experiences, or credentials. It's also because of who you are as an individual and how you decide to show up. That's why you're deserving. Whatever simple story is playing in your mind can become small or irrelevant when you remember why you're there.

Being mindful of our mindtraps takes us from the passenger seat to the driver's seat. From feeling like a victim to being someone who can do something about it. 💪🏽💪🏽

💬 Which mindtrap are you ready to challenge today?👇🏽