There are incidents in the Bible illustrating the power of mindset. In the Song of Songs, King Solomon describes the mindset of a virtuous woman: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue.” The way we internalize our mindset may affect the actions we take and the expectations we set for ourselves.
What’s holding us back, many times, is our own thinking. If you think you’ve reached your limits, then you have. If you think the problem is too big, then it is. If you think you’ll never meet the right person, you probably won’t. Change your mindset. Start believing in the good, living life with hope and expecting better results. Remember that the Almighty can do anything. He took David, a shepherd boy from a low-income family and turned him into a king. He gave Abraham and Sarah a baby when they were nearing 100 years of age.
One’s mindset has the power to be an instrument of peace—or to cut like a knife. While leading the people toward the promised land of Israel in his final days, Moses eloquently delivers one of the most stirring orations in the Torah, encouraging the people and guiding them towards the future. As a child, Moses developed a speech impediment. To spare him embarrassment, his brother, Aaron, delivered many of Moses’s discourses. But, for his farewell address, Moses spoke directly to the people. His words to the Israelites were fierce and poetic, to better ensure that they will remember their covenant with their Creator. As Moses speaks, we retrace the steps of his personal life journey and witness his spiritual growth. Moses shows us that even the very end of life is not too late to improve ourselves and call on others to change.
From his early years as a stuttering toddler, to the moral tests of his youth in Pharaoh’s palace, to his trials as leader of a wandering people, to his ultimate, inspiring address to the nation at the threshold of the Holy Land, Moses demonstrates that a human being can overcome obstacles, and master fears. How is this accomplished? As Moses himself stresses in his final speech, one can exhibit patience, conquer hardships and achieve self-mastery simply by connecting to the Creator.
What we say and how we say it matters. A new mindset — the right choice of words and inflection — inspires and unites others. But proper mindset can also be achieved without words. We can communicate non-verbally, using our hands, eyes, body language and tone of voice.
In today’s technological age, we communicate instantaneously through social media, e-mail, and our cell phones. We are never out of reach or out of touch.
All of us have gone through disappointments and suffered setbacks that have caused us to lower our expectations and water down our dreams. We’ve let what hasn’t worked out for us serve as an excuse to settle for where we are. Instead of allowing our troubles to stymie us, we must trust that the challenges our Creator places before us are only temporary, and that they are ultimately for our own good. After all, our Creator wants what’s best for us. We know that, as long as we are receptive to it, “The Almighty will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that [we] cannot contain.” Do you truly believe that will be the case, or is your thinking limiting your life?
Don’t go into this new year with low expectations. Have a bigger vision. Get your hopes up! When undesirable thoughts intrude, “It’s too late. It’s been too long. It’s never going to happen. It’s just going to be an average year, with nothing good in store,”— change your mindset. Tell yourself, “This is going to be a blessed year, a bountiful year, a favor-filled year. Something good is going to happen to me and I can’t wait to experience it.” Like the ancient Israelites, believe that the fetters that have held you back have now been broken. Meet life with great anticipation because you’re about to go into your Promised Land. Amen.
