A Story Of Resilience
I had the pleasure to interview Andrea Hanson, master certified life & mindset coach, who helps people living with chronic illnesses to have stronger mindsets.
We discussed how it’s possible to stop the negative voice in our heads without the pressure of staying positive all the time. Below is a script summary of the interview.
Andrea faced her own struggle with chronic illness. In graduate school she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). It was a sudden and unexpected diagnosis and to add to the shock she was told of all the things she wouldn’t be able to do anymore because of this illness.
Thankfully Andrea didn’t accept the generalities she was told which didn’t match her experience and decided to take control. She wasn’t going to be identified as MS and she was determined to do what she could to feel better.
She used her own training on mindset. At the time she was working with kids diagnosed with Down’s syndrome and autism, setting them to have a good life. She applied those same skills to herself to regain control of her life.
What Is Mindset?
Andrea refers to mindset as the ’10,000 foot view’ - your beliefs and how these beliefs influence how you see yourself and how you see the world.
She explains there are two different types of mindsets: growth mindset versus fixed mindset.
Growth mindset is the one where you believe you can grow, change, learn and impact on your life, future and success. It’s a very open mindset.
Fixed mindset is when you believe you’re born as you are with no capacity to change things.
Everyone can develop a growth mindset, we know that our brains can form new connections in our entire life, that’s neuro-plasticity.
We all have mindset, whether we’re aware of it or not and the applications of working on mindset are very broad - it can affect stress levels, mood, resilience, inner critic, confidence, setting boundaries…
Most people are usually aware they have this capacity to change things and grow but often they don’t know how or they use some generic advice that might not be working for them.
I love how Andrea describes working on mindset being similar to yoga practice.
It doesn’t have to take a long time to master our mindset, although it depends on everyone. And it’s certainly not about fake positivity. With practice you’re able to break the spiralling down cycle and get yourself out.
How To Stop Your Inner Critic and Master Your Mindset
Key ingredients are
- Becoming aware - Paying attention
- Being non judgmental - It will be counter-productive to criticise your own inner critic
- Being in our sensations and our emotions - Learning to process the emotions that are generated by our thoughts and beliefs so that they don’t get stored in our body.
It’s a lifelong practice. Sometimes it's about taking baby steps. Most importantly it’s about finding the tools that are right for you. If you struggle using generic advice, seek support from an expert.
About Andrea
Andrea W. Hanson is a motivational speaker and the author of two books about having a positive mindset while living with a diagnosis; Live Your Life, Not Your Diagnosis and Stop Carrying The Weight of Your MS. She's also a master certified life & mindset coach who's lived with multiple sclerosis for over two decades. Her podcast, Live Your Life, Not Your Diagnosis™ features conversations with people who are creating extraordinary lives while living with chronic illness.
Andrea teaches people how to tune out the noise of their inner critic and listen to their authentic voice so they can feel confident in their ability to make changes and create the life they want. Her upcoming online course teaches the Live Your Life, Not Your Diagnosis™ blueprint to help people living with a chronic illness to create self-care, deeper confidence, and create strong boundaries. Get more information at AndreaHansonCoaching.com/courses.
Andrea loves to hike in the mountains with her Blue Heeler — and sometimes other humans, too. She's happiest when traveling with her husband and exploring new things — or simply sitting poolside with a good book.
Instagram is @AndreaWHanson
Linked In is @AndreaWHanson
Website is Andreahansoncoaching.com
If you’d like to learn how to tap into the power of your mind-body connection to support your health and wellbeing download my essential guide for FREE