These are my six healthy mindset habits that have turned my life 180 degrees. Get yourself a cup of coffee or a snack and 8 minutes of your time!
When we talk about healthy mindsets, we don’t necessarily mean positive thinking. Positive thinking is undoubtedly beneficial and can change life for the better. However, looking at current events in the world and all that is going on, positive thinking sounds like a joke to most people. And it doesn’t surprise me.
When you actually think positively, it’s not because you choose to think positively. There is no magic button to activate positive thinking. Instead, it is a product of your healthy mindset. Or better yet, you cannot think positively without a healthy mindset. Our mindset is a kind of ‘factory,’ and if it is not healthy, the products will not be healthy.
When covid started, and the whole world was isolated, it affected the mindset of millions of people around the world, including me. As a result, you lose self-confidence, inner strength, self-love, and the strength and desire to work on yourself. It was like a bolt from the blue. However, for me personally, it was a moment to start over. I couldn’t take so much negativity and toxic thoughts anymore, so I decided to make a slow but sure change.
These are the six healthy mindset habits that I have adopted and completely changed my life, even in the challenging times we are going through today.
Being aware of your thoughts and feelings
When you are sad or anxious, you might feel like you are falling into a void that is impossible to escape. But, in reality, you are just in your head and can get out.
You can learn to notice when you are experiencing negative feelings and thoughts so that you can work to change your mood and regain control over your emotions. After all, your thoughts are just a combination of chemicals and electrical impulses in your brain that can be easily changed.
Negative thoughts can spiral out of control if you do not catch them and replace them with positive ones. When you become aware of your thoughts, you can begin to question them and challenge them by asking yourself why you are thinking a certain way.
Knowing how you feel and why you feel a certain way can help you make better decisions, like what to do with your time and how to respond to situations. Learn to think before you speak and think before you act. You are not the one who feels without energy or motivation to move forward in life. It is your emotions and thoughts that you must take control of.
Practicing self-care
You might think you are doing something beneficial for your mood by reading a motivational book or watching Law of Attraction success stories on YouTube. While these activities can be enjoyable, relaxing, and sometimes rewarding, they are not self-care. At least they’re not my definition of self-care.
For me, self-care is an action that helps you to feel better and more in control of your emotions. For example:
- getting enough sleep to have energy throughout the day
- eating a healthy diet (or sometimes even things that you love and that make you happy)
- crying and venting your emotions whenever you need to
- doing physical activity
- getting outside, even if it was only for a few minutes a day
- connecting with other people
Not comparing yourself to others
Many people spend time on social media comparing themselves to others, making themselves feel bad in the process. But this is not a healthy mindset. Instead, use social media as a tool to learn and connect with others, but don’t use it as a place to put yourself down.
If you can’t imagine scrolling through your Instagram or TikTok feed, you don’t have to stop. What you should stop, however, is comparing yourself to others or thinking you are something less than they are.
For example, if you see someone traveling around the world, don’t end up feeling bad because you’ve never done anything like that. What if they travel worldwide using money borrowed from the bank? What if they use a bunch of filters, and the place they’re at actually looks different?
Instead, use that person’s posts as inspiration to do something big with your own life, or save the post to your travel inspiration board.
Beyond social media, try to avoid comparing yourself to others in real life, too. For instance, people wearing nice or designer clothes are not necessarily smart, wise, or rich. All you see is just the cover. No one knows what is really going on in their lives. They may be sick or facing financial problems. And that’s not something you want or compare yourself to.
Be grateful for the things you have in your life
If you look at your life and all the things you have to be grateful for, you will begin to feel more positive about your future. And yes, everyone has something to be thankful for. People who say they don’t have one aren’t trying or don’t want to find one.
When covid and all the stress came, I only realized what I was thankful for. Sadly, sometimes something unfortunate or painful has to happen for us to realize something. On the other hand, if this did not happen, we would continue to live the old life and not make any changes.
A gratitude journal is a great way to start journaling about the things you are grateful for. You can also keep a gratitude list on your phone or computer so you can quickly add things to the list throughout the day.
Things I am grateful for every single day:
- I am grateful for my good health.
- I am grateful for the opportunity to be alive and well.
- I am grateful for my sister, who never fails to brighten my day.
- I am grateful for the unconditional love from our cats. They are always there when we need them.
- I am grateful for having a loving family who takes care of me and supports me in everything I do.
Not taking anything personally
This one is hard, but once you get the hang of it, it’s much easier to deal with situations. When something negative happens to you, it’s normal to want to assume it’s because of something you did or said. But it’s important to realize that other people are not always aware of your actions or words.
For example, if you are standing at the cash register in a store and someone keeps staring at you, it may not be because there is something wrong with you. Maybe they found you interesting, or they’re just staring into space. It could also be an angel in human form or someone who is able to see auras around people.
For example, if you get rejected from a job or notice that someone unfollowed you on social media, it’s important to remember that it might not be because of something you did or said. There could be a number of other reasons for this that have nothing to do with you.
Let’s say you’re walking down the street and see a friend who seems to be ignoring you. Most of us take this personally and start wondering what wrong we did to them. What if they didn’t really notice you, or they weren’t in a good mood and didn’t want to talk to anyone?
Knowing your worth
Everyone has their own worth and value as a person, and we should never compare ourselves to others. However, it’s easy to forget this when we’re in the daily grind of life. To stay grounded in who you are and how you’re uniquely valuable, try journaling about what makes you, YOU.
What are your most notable qualities? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your dreams? What are your quirks and interests that make you who you are? Is something really worth your time and energy?
Asking yourself these questions and writing out your answers can help you to keep your worth at the forefront of your mind. Remember that your worth is what you set for yourself, not what someone else sets for you.
Key Takeaways
- What looks good on the outside may not be good on the inside.
- However it may sound, most things are only in our heads.
- We are the ones who determine our worth, not other people.
- Adopting your healthy mindset habits doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient and keep working on yourself.
