Don't succumb to the victim mentality.

Everything depends on your attitude. No matter what your end goal is, your mental attitude either helps or hinders your progress, and one of the most damaging attitudes anyone can adopt is victim-mentality.

What exactly is victim-mentality?

Victim mentality is a negative frame of mind. It blames other people and circumstances for any internal unhappiness. " It's the proverbial "point the finger" situation.

Victims see life through a narrow lens of pessimistic perceptions, believing that whatever happens in life is the result of external causes. Inner reflection is never taken into account. Being a victim means absolving oneself of responsibility. Nothing is ever their fault! Victims frequently enjoy the attention, sympathy, and validation that comes with playing the "poor me" role.

When we are trapped in victimhood, the emphasis shifts to how vulnerable we are rather than how powerful we are.

While no one is born with a victim mentality, no one is immune to playing the victim. This defeatist realm can be found in sweet elderly grandparents, loving, well-intentioned mothers and fathers, teenagers, and even those considered "spiritually awakened."

In fact, everyone has played the victim role at least once in their lives.

Victims want to be mentally prepared for the worst, and unfortunately, for those who live in victimhood, this self-sabotaging behavior becomes more powerful when things appear to be going their way, as they are certain "disaster is just around the corner."

So, how does one break free from this self-defeating, "poor me," pessimistic programming that was most likely developed and adopted as a child?

It all starts at home with your perceptions of yourself. Do you consider yourself to be a survivor or a victim?

Survivors accept and flow with life. They live in the present moment and take charge of their lives. They are fully aware that they are solely to blame for what happens. They understand that by accepting responsibility for their lives, they have the power to change their circumstances.

Victims, on the other hand, wallow in self-pity and argue and resist life. They live in the past, convinced that they are powerless to change their circumstances - their key to avoiding responsibility. Because their perceptions tell them they are powerless, they live defensively and remain frozen in time.

Victim mentality comes at a high price. It has a negative impact on all aspects of life, both professional and personal. Those who see themselves as failures are victims because failure comes only to those who give up.

We must first own our victim mentality if we are to break free from it. We can't change something we don't own. We must change our mindset and recognize that "change begins with me." We must embrace survival and take action steps... no matter how small or insignificant they may appear at the time, towards some goal we hope to achieve.

Most importantly, we must constantly empower ourselves with "I can" and "I will" statements while rejecting demeaning "I can't" and "I won't" statements and beliefs.

And we must embrace gratitude, the most wonderful of attitudes. We must take time each day to reflect on all of the things that make us happy and all of the things that are going well in our lives. Keeping our minds/energy focused on positive situations can help us avoid becoming victims.

Finally, we must treat ourselves with the same respect and love that we show others. Only then will our thoughts and actions shift from victim to survivor mode.

The truth is that we cannot control the actions of others or every circumstance that arises in our lives, but we can control how we respond to them. We are not forced to be victims. It is a decision. Whatever happens or comes our way must be viewed as a challenge, not an excuse.

Looking for a strong partner to help you erase the negative victim tapes that keep playing in your head? Look no further than your neighborhood gym. Getting your blood flowing and your "happy, feel-good" hormones going through challenging exercise is one of the best ways to overcome negativity, defeat victim mentality, and put yourself on the fast track to feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.

"You, more than anyone else in the universe, deserve your love and affection."

- Buddha Gautama

The victim must understand that small changes in behavior and attitude can result in large rewards.

Do you want to learn how to rejuvenate your body, regain lost vitality, and improve the quality of your life? 

While you're there, be sure to download my free report 101 Habits for Super Health.

Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who has helped thousands of people begin their journey to losing weight, becoming strong, fit, and youthful at any age in her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience.