Victim Mindset
What do I mean when I talk about a victim mindset?
A victim mindset is when everything that is happening to me is everyone else’s fault. I am not able or willing to see my responsibility for my actions. I also view myself as the victim in all my interactions. Believing people are out to get me or don’t like me when there is no evidence to support it.
How does a Victim mindset start?
Each person is unique in how they learn the behaviour. The victim mindset can be a learned thought process from a parent or caregiver. It could be from living in an environment where you were the victim or are the victim. Regardless, you are likely to do a set of behaviours when you have a victim mindset.
How do I know if I have a victim mentality?
You might have a victim mindset if:
1.      Everything always happens to you because of somebody else’s actions 2.      Everyone is out to get me
3.      I will often begin phrases and thoughts with I’m no good at or I can’t 4.      I blame myself and beat myself up
5.      When I’m angry, I barely start a sentence with “I.”
6.      Conversations typically revolve around how hard my life is
7.      When friends offer advice, I usually will counter back with, “Yes, but” 8.      You spend a fair amount of time thinking about your past failures and mistakes
9.      Other people usually cause my feelings
10.  You feel stuck to the point that you can’t improve your life or analyze your own beliefs.
11.  Even when things go right, there is still something to complain about Each day we live with a Victim Mindset; it steals our joy and seeks to destroy us, keep us oppressed and depressed. This state of living is not God’s plan for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans that give you hope and a future.” God intends to give you a hopeful future, and it starts today.
Pastor Jenn started her faith journey as a victim. When she came to faith, she was all of these things listed above, but with God’s help, she went on a journey with God to overcome this mentality. Pastor Jenn can lead you from the victim mentality to the Thriver mentality. Follow her as she gives you insights and practical tools to make the journey. 

Survivor Mindset
What is Survivor Mindset?
A survivor mindset focuses on just getting through. The person is only living to survive. There is no joy, everything is hard, but adaptability begins to form in a person’s mindset that says, “I just have to do what I have to do.” “I have no choice; I have to do it.”
You Might have Survivor Mindset if:
1.      You recently noticed a shift in your attitude, becoming more positive. 2.      You learn that your mental toughness is a gift.
3.      There was a shift in your mindset that gave you motivation for something different.
4.      You begin to understand the development of a strong work ethic.
5.      You begin to see areas that you could change successfully by taking a step of faith.
6.      You allow a couple of people into your inner circle.
A Survivor Mindset is a rare but valuable time in our formational lives. In this state of living, we are learning our worth and value. You might not call it worth and value, but you might call it taking a step of faith because if “I don’t do this now, I might …,” This spot is vital because it is in this tension you decide you are worth it.
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” In the survivor mindset, learning our value and worth in that moment of “if I don’t do this now I might…,” teaches us an essential lesson. When we follow God, we can trust him when he leads us down paths we might not necessarily understand. This valuable lesson in dealing with survivor mode is a result of not knowing if it’s going to work out but just knowing we have to do something. We learned to trust the Lord in the unknown. Also known as faith.  

Overcomer Mindset
The Overcomer Mindset is a joy to journey with people in and through. To witness firsthand the tender, intimate and exciting moments of victory, whether it’s a win over an attitude or a habit or learning a truth. We also call them “Aha” moments. These Overcomer moments are the fruit of what was developing in the Survivor mentality phase of living.   
You might be in Overcomer Mindset if:
1.      You are experiencing new victories.
2.      You can recognize the journey of your choices, both good and bad. 3.      Your sight is more focused on the future than the past.
4.      You can see the lessons you learned in getting to where you are now. 5.      Your self-respect is learned and practiced in this phase.
6.      When in the Overcomer Mindset, you will notice a difference in your friendships.
Friendships will become more grounded.  Jesus says in the gospel of John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Being an overcomer is part of God’s plan for each of our lives, just like it was for his son, Jesus Christ. God wants us to overcome the obstacles that are put before us because of man’s sin.
When I think of all the obstacles I’ve had to overcome in my life, they are because of man’s sin, whether my own or someone else's. Jesus was also placed in this position while he walked the earth. He was placed with the cross before him. He needed to overcome the cross to be reunited with his Father and reconcile with man. It was why he came. To overcome sin and grave. He did it on the cross of Calvary, enabling us also to overcome.

Thriver  Mindset
Thriver’s mindset is actively living a healthy lifestyle. It is a life built by implementing the knowledge you transformed into wisdom using different tools in each different phase of living and growing in faith.
You might have Thriver Mindset if:
1.      You consistently make healthy life choices.
2.      You spend time planning the future.
3.      The future excites you.
4.      You can see the gift in your trials.
5.      How you deal with and handle conflict will be drastically different. 6.      You have a love of life and look to encourage and equip others.
7.      You want others to have what you have.  
Galatians 5:1 tells us, “It was for freedom that we have been set free.” To me, this is thriving. Learning to live in the freedom we have been set free for is a journey. It requires a willingness to understand that we live in a state of all four at any given time.
We will still be a victim of things, all the time, because part of the victim state is not knowing. There are things in our lives that have yet to be revealed, leaving us in a sense a victim but not helpless.
In our survivor mindset, there are things in our lives that we are still trying to make it through to the other side. As soon as it can be over, we are good with that. We do these things because we have to.  They lead us through to the overcomer mindset.
As our understanding enlarges, so does our confidence in the small wins, leaving us open to believe all things are possible with God. Mary believed this at the conception of Christ, “With God ALL things are possible.” And nine months later, our Savior was born.
There is something utterly exhilarating about living in the awareness of four different states of mind. It is incredible to recognize when I am in each state. It gives me direction in my thought life, prayer and devotional life. The Holy Spirit remains close to guide and direct us and because of this awareness, we understand we are fearfully and wonderfully made and perfectly loved but ever-changing.

Are you ready for a change? Are you ready to grow? Are you ready to learn your Mindset?  Are you ready to take the plunge to live life as a Thriver with understanding your own heart knowledge?
Please contact me for a free 15-minute appointment.  
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