Picking up where The Power of Mind left off, let’s turn theory into practice with a simple perspective shift.
Recently, during a face-to-face course, we sat around a roundtable and gave feedback after each day, each practice, each new activity. And I couldn’t unhear what people kept saying:
- I hope it’ll get better.
- I just pray today will be easier than yesterday.
- I’m not sure I can do this.
- I need to practice to be able to do this.
Yes, of course we all need to learn new skills, right? But do you notice how we keep putting the power somewhere outside ourselves—on someone or something else to fix it? You can hear it in those sentences.
This is exactly where a perspective shift puts the power back in your hands.
“I hope it will get better.” It will get better when you make it better for yourself—when you decide it’s better. “I’m not sure I can do this.” If you want it (and you’re here because you do), you will do it.
Don’t get me wrong, and don’t mistake this for being cocky or “better than.” Just please realize: everything we do and say—what happens in our lives, how we react, what emotions it creates in us, and the reality we’ve been living in—is a direct result of our actions.
That’s a harsh truth, especially if you’re in a situation you don’t want to be in. It’s always easier to look for excuses for why we’re living a life we don’t want, rather than start changing it. And you might say, “But what if I’ve tried? I’m doing the best I can with all the resources I have, trying so hard to change my life, and nothing is happening. The only thing happening is me losing hope that I’ll ever have my dream life—the life I deserve, the life I’m dreaming about, the life I have a right to.”
This is the moment to try a perspective shift.
Let me give you a personal example:
I don’t like my job. A couple of months ago, I even hated it. I despised myself for getting up every day at 6 a.m. and going to an office for eight hours to do something I don’t enjoy, don’t see the point of, and find zero satisfaction in. All of that is true—and despite this, I’ve been working there for three years already. How crazy is that?
Sometimes I feel like I lost my courage—the courage to fight. A few years ago, I borrowed money, left for Australia, and didn’t overthink it. Why? Because I wasn’t happy where I was. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
So why am I in a dead-end job now, pretending I care, pretending I listen in meetings, doing presentations for nothing—and in a field that goes against my own beliefs?
Trust me, recognizing and accepting that I’m the person who got me where I am now was nothing but hard.
For context, I am actively trying to change my situation. I’ve gone through many interviews, several times making it right before the final round—which means I spent a lot of time preparing and doing extra work—and still, nothing. I know that means those places weren’t for me, but the frustration is real.
When things like this happen, it’s not easy to be like, “Yeah, that’s fine, what’s meant for me won’t miss me,” and stay all chipper—especially when it’s happening in several areas of your life at the same time. It’s a lot.
What has been an unbelievably simple and fast solution for me is what I call the reflector approach. It basically means turning the reflector from the negative to the positive. Simple.
So, in this case: “I hate my job. I can’t quit because I need to pay rent and buy food, so I have to stay here—poor me.” Reflector turn to the positive: “I’m grateful for my job; it provides the financial stability I need for now. This job isn’t forever. I don’t have to pour my whole heart into it—I can keep it simple while I build what’s next. It teaches me to appreciate small things, to be intentional with my energy, and to spend more time with people I like (because I actively seek it).
This is a great method, and it has saved my ass many times. I realize that the things in my life I’m not happy with are the result of what I did or didn’t do in the past. Until the right time comes for my body and mind to open to new possibilities, I’ll use this tool to keep me out of the worst—to steer me away from unnecessary negative thoughts about things, places, or people.
As you probably know, energy attracts energy. When you choose a positive mindset, you don’t just “think happy thoughts”—you start broadcasting a new frequency. Like attracts like. Keep practicing it and one day you’ll look around and realize you’re living more and more of the life you imagined.
Reflector shift questions (turn the beam from “what’s wrong” to “what I want”):
- What do I want instead of what I don’t want?
- What does it look like in real life? (paint the scene)
- How does it make me feel in my body and in my mind?
- What’s actually stopping me from achieving it right now? (be specific)
- What’s one tiny step I can take in the next 24 hours?
- How will I present myself once the change is done? (posture, habits, words)
- How will people around me notice? What will they say?
- Why do I want this? (my real reason)
- How will I measure progress? (signs I’m on track)
- What might get in the way—and what’s my if-then plan?
Tip: Answer in the present tense, with sensory detail. Example: “I wake up calm, I open the blinds, light hits the room, I feel clear and excited about my work.”
A quick “reflector flip” example:
- Old: I hate my job; I’m stuck because I have to pay bills.
- Flip: I’m grateful this job funds my transition. It’s temporary. I keep it simple while I build what’s next. I’m learning patience, boundaries, and what truly matters to me.
Support tools that amplify the shift:
- Journal: 5 minutes daily. Prompt: “Today, I moved one step closer by…” and “One thing I’m proud of is…”
- Affirmations (make them believable): Use bridge statements like “I’m learning to trust myself,” “I’m becoming the person who follows through.”
- Visualization (my favorite): 3–5 minutes. See the scene, hear the sounds, feel the emotions, and end with one concrete action you’ll take today.
- Meditation + conscious breathing: 2 minutes works. Try a 4-6 breath (inhale 4, exhale 6) to calm your nervous system.
- Implementation intention: If-then plan. “If it’s 7:30 a.m., then I apply to one role.” “If I feel stuck, then I take a 90-second walk and reset.”
- Identity cue: Ask, “What would Future Me do right now?” Then do the smallest version of that.
Do this consistently and notice how quietly, almost without fanfare, your reflector shifts from problems to possibilities—and life starts meeting you there.
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