How to Improve Your Mindset in 5 Easy Steps
Your mindset can have a strong impact on your mood and even your wellbeing. Cultivating a more positive mindset isn’t easy, especially if you’ve been in a negative one for a long time.
But you can work on things every day to improve your mindset and boost those positive vibes. This doesn’t need to be complicated or daunting. In fact, some of the best ways to boost your mindset are actually super simple and only need to become a routine habit to reap the rewards.
Here are 5 simple ways to start introducing a positive mindset.
Practice Gratitude
Focusing on what you do have makes you less hung on the negatives.
Practicing gratitude trains your brain to see the positives that you likely wouldn’t see otherwise.
To make this a reality, try writing down five things you feel grateful for every single day. Try not to skip a day, even if you can’t think of enough things right away. It may feel like a huge challenge at first but the more you practice, the easier it will get. Your brain will zero in on the positives and the benefits start to rack up.
Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude super regularly are much more likely to feel happier, have a positive mindset, sleep better and get sick less often.
Start the Day Right
Your thoughts have incredible power, especially in influencing your behavior and emotions.
It can take just one negative thought to derail the whole day, especially if it happens first thing in the morning.
But positive thoughts can have the exact opposite effect. They can set a good vibe for the rest of the day. So, how do you encourage your mind towards positive thoughts if you tend to wake up with negative thoughts screaming at you?
Enter positive affirmations and intentions.
Positive affirmations are a great way to start the day. Over time, they start to change your brain and train your mind to think positively. According to this study, positive affirmations increase your sense of self-worth and help you see yourself in a more positive light.
Positive intentions work well too. Set an intention for how you want the day to evolve. Bonus points if you can visualize yourself making it happen too! This makes it even more powerful as a mindset tool. Your brain can’t tell the difference between imagination and reality so it acts as a repetition of a past event, rather than something you want to happen in the future.
Dial Back on Negative Noise
How many times do you start your day by switching on the news, checking your notifications, or scrolling mindlessly on your phone? You probably notice a definite dive in your mood as a result too, right?
Help yourself move to a more positive mindset by dialing back on this noise. Set your phone aside for the first hour after you wake up. It’s so much easier to work on your morning mindset when you’re not being bombarded with negative noise.
Gravitate Towards Positive People
When it comes to mindset, the people you surround yourself with can make a big difference.
If they’re toxic and draining, their negative energy can bring you down too. Have you ever been in an environment that’s dominated by one person’s negative attitude? You’ve likely seen this in action!
But if the people around you are positive and do their best to build you up, it’s a whole different story. Their positivity rubs off on you. If you’re trying to improve your mindset, hanging out with positive people is an absolute must.
Celebrate Your Wins
Too often, we focus heavily on what went wrong and gloss over what’s gone well. Celebrating your wins is a proven mindset trick that boosts your mood and helps build a more positive mindset.
Every little win you notch up provides a small “hit” of dopamine. It quickly gets addictive and your brain wants more. The end result? You keep going in search of these dopamine boosts and every win you score keeps the circle going. Getting into the habit of celebrating every win, no matter how small it may seem, is a great way to boost your positive mindset.
