A victim mentality is when we blame our external circumstances for our own unhappiness and discontent. We do this because it is an easy way to validate our feelings and it also allows us to sit in our realities as opposed to actually having to take action.

Instead of having to be proactive, we can say that things are a certain way because of this, this and this. We point fingers at every one, place, or thing besides ourselves.

Think about an area of your life that is causing some form of dissatisfaction. Now ask yourself, what is the reason that I have not changed this? Take note of the response you give yourself.

If you are placing yourself as the victim of a certain situation or circumstance, know that you are not doing yourself any good. When we blame other things or people for our realities we are otherwise saying “I am not responsible for this”.

When we do this we give away all of our power.

This is where things get dangerous. Giving away your power is like handing over your destiny to external circumstance or even other people. We allow life to control us rather than controlling our own lives. This leads to fulfilling a destiny that is not completely aligned and in tune with what we truly desire.

So, how do we fix this? First, we must have a deep understanding that we are responsible for our lives, our current situations, our emotions, and our outcomes.

For example, When Bob was fired from his job he was told he was not performing at par with the rest of the employees. As a way to avoid responsibility for this he blamed his "terrible" boss as well as the company. When he handed over the responsibility to external factors he also gave away his power to take hold of the situation.

If Bob was to put the responsibility on himself he would have had a moment of self evaluation. In this, he could have noted some areas of needed improvement and worked on himself. Allowing himself to level up for his next opportunity.

Instead, he pointed fingers and labeled himself as the victim.

This got him no where. When you label yourself as a victim you take on a certain perspective of life. The energy you radiate is at a low frequency and you begin to attract low frequency people, opportunities, and events into your life.

Don't be like Bob. Take full ownership over the things that happen to you in your life so you can learn, grow, and evolve into a better version of yourself. It is in these times of defeat that we have the ability to enter into a new realm of opportunity and excitement in our lives.

When you deliberately or un-deliberatly choose to be a victim, you live in a mental prison, restricted by the boundaries of your own perception. Let yourself take ownership, have the power to control your own life and you will feel your mind be set free. A free state of mind offers you limitless possibilities and exciting opportunities. And remember, any moment you are knocked down is simply an opportunity to stand up taller, stronger, and more courageously.