An arrest can be an overwhelming incident in your life. You might wonder how to move forward, how to regain control over your person. Have you ever heard of a “growth mindset?” Do you know that it can help you change your life and help get you back on your feet after you have been arrested?

What Is a Growth Mindset?

There are two types of mindsets – growth and fixed. A fixed mindset is just that: fixed. You believe that if you are not good at cooking, you will never be good at cooking. Your mind cannot see beyond the immediate moment. But a growth mindset is the exact opposite. You know that even though you are not good at cooking now, it doesn't mean you won't be good at cooking later.

Which of these mindsets sounds like you? Which would you rather have? When you are trying to overcome an arrest, a growth mindset will get you far. And don't worry, it can be learned.

Learning to Have a Growth Mindset

To develop a growth mindset, you must take stock of what you believe about your situation at that very moment and then flip the narrative. If you see your arrest as a barrier to getting a new job or finding a place to live, learn to view the challenge as an opportunity. What could you do to overcome those thoughts? The simple answer is to try. Try getting a new job, try getting a new home; you will never know how your arrest will affect it until you try.

Additionally, you can spend some time at the end of the day reflecting on how the day went and what you are grateful for. Where did things go wrong? How could they have gone differently? Where does the gratitude lay in your day? Did you have a great lunch or a fun conversation with a friend? When you sit in this practice you will see how much you have to be grateful for, and your mindset will begin to shift to one that is flexible.

The final thing you can do to develop a growth mindset is to simply work on the narrative. If your go-to is to say “can't” or “never,” when talking about the future and your goals, try using “yet” or “but” instead. “I will never get out of this situation” becomes “I am in this situation, but it won't last forever.” Reframing your cognitive thoughts can go very far.

How an Attorney Can Help

Once you have developed a growth mindset, you will be less limited by the circumstances of your arrest. Individuals with growth mindsets can put their past behind them and adopt a new outlook on the world. This new outlook charges forward without worrying about the past catching up with it.

Attorney Joseph D. Lento has spent his career defending individuals such as yourself. Attorney Lento and the Lento Law Firm will work tirelessly to advocate on your behalf and create a strategic defense that will ensure the best possible outcome for your case. Call 888-535-3686 today to schedule a consultation. Attorney Lento is a fighter; he won't let you down.