When I start working with my clients most of them talk about how they’re stuck in black and white thinking. This typically leads to only being able to see two options in a situation. For example, they can either eat in alignment with their goals, or they don’t. They either meal plan or they don’t. Does that sound familiar?
If so, when in black and white thinking, you’re likely either striving for perfection, or you’re failing. If the latter happens, that’s when it can be easy to abort the mission and “fall off track”. What if there was another option? Welcome to the MIDDLE GROUND!
The middle ground is basically a third option, also known as the gray area. Think of all of the options and opportunities that can live in that space! Finding the gray area was a game changer for me. It was hard to start making the shift because when we’re in black and white thinking it’s challenging to think outside of the box to see the other option. But when it happens, it’s amazing!
The first step is to even recognize that you’re in black and white thinking. Once you notice it surface, here are a few things to ask yourself:
- Where’s the middle ground?
- What’s important to you in this situation?
- If you’re still having a hard time finding the gray area, if someone close to me were in the same position, what would I tell them?
- If there are other people involved you can always ask, what would a collaborative solution be? This helps so it doesn’t feel like one person is winning and the other party is losing.
When first starting out, this can be challenging since black and white thinking has become our norm. Try it out and see how it goes! If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out by either commenting below or emailing me at [email protected].
If you’re ready to get inspired by some middle ground talk, be sure to join me on social media starting Monday, September 23rd when I release a new series called #middlegroundmonday.
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