“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart.
“I am not good enough.”
“They achieved so much more and we are of the same age.”
“I wish I had the talents they do.”
These are common excerpts we have told ourselves at some point in time. Be it in a moment of frustration or even as a part of the constant negative self-talk brewing in our minds, most of us are guilty of harboring self-deprecating thoughts and mindsets.
Is it healthy? Definitely not. Can it be changed? Absolutely.
But, how?
When you work on integrating a positive attitude, the first thing you need to do is identify certain patterns in your life. Unhealthy mindsets plague insecurities, worry, anxiousness and uncertainty.
However, introducing the shift towards a positive mindset is a work in progress. If you struggle with your mind, this article will share the top key elements to maintain a healthy and positive mindset.
What do you Need for a Positive Mindset?
Mindset setbacks are heavily reliant on poor mental health habits. They are influenced by vicious and harmful patterns and tendencies whose damage we don’t realize often.
Everyone’s requirements for developing a healthy and positive mindset are different. There is no standard rulebook for what you should be doing. Also, shifting your mindset towards higher level of positivity takes time but it’s time well spent.
Key Elements of a Healthy and Positive Mindset
- Fostering Calmness in the Mind
- Focus on your Health and Energy
- Manage your Time
- Inculcate Self-Compassion
- Taking a Break
Everyone’s struggle with their mindset is different, as I said. When I talk about the list of key influencing elements in the list down below, remember that it isn’t mandatory for you to be inadequate in all of these individual elements.
There are chances that you might have to work on all the elements or you might have to work on a few.
1. Fostering Calmness in the Mind
An unstable mind results from unstable emotions. We often fail to realize that our lives aren’t 100% predictable. There are instances in life that we work towards but there are storms in our lives that come without a warning.
The first step to developing positive attitude is to instill calmness in the mind despite how unstable the situations are. Is it an easy process? Absolutely not!
But it's needed. When you are in a crisis, muddled thoughts and unrest will further amplify your confusion. This means that you are more likely to confuse the reality of the situation.
When you practice calmness, it protects your mind and allows you to make decisions that center your energy and help you focus on the good instead of retaining your focus on what went wrong.
2. Focus On Your Health and Energy
Your physical health and energy levels reflect on the state of your mind. If you are unwell with a very low energy level, chances are that it will manifest in your mind too. A combination of a tired body and a tired mind is a recipe for disaster.
It degrades your productivity and prevents you from achieving things in life that you dreamt of. When you are constantly foregoing your physical health, it will eventually catch up to your mental health as well.
When you notice lacking production, reduced zeal, and enthusiasm, be prepared to have these manifest as negative thought patterns in your mind too.
So, prioritize your physical health as well. Shift your focus on things that boost your well-being. It could be eating a healthy diet, going for a walk in the morning, or focusing on your hydration throughout the day.
3. Manage Your Time
As Benjamin Franklin once said, “You may delay, but time will not.”
Procrastination often brings us instant gratification because we are doing things at the moment that bring us joy but this habit is also damaging to our mindset.
Not only does it affect productivity, but it also tears down your personal thoughts. When you are rushing to meet a deadline, the only thought that plagues your mind is, “I shouldn’t have slagged the past few weeks.” And these thoughts raise your feeling of incompetency and fester an unhealthy mindset.
So, the best way to navigate through such downsides is by focusing on time management. Delegate your time to finish important tasks by focusing and concentrating on things.
And, sometimes, it's okay if you lose track of time. Your mind needs that break from the constant hustle and charge of productivity. It's okay to take a nap now and then. It's okay if you want to break out of your routine and go for a leisure walk.
4. Inculcate Self-Compassion
“Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent. We cannot nurture others from a dry well. We need to take care of our own needs first, so that we can give from our surplus, our abundance.” – Jennifer Louden.
We are often so considerate and compassionate towards people we love. But, why do we not implement the same degree of kindness towards ourselves?
We are so quick to forego others’ mistakes but constantly belittle ourselves for similar mistakes. We are so quick to empathize with others over their failures but constantly critique ourselves for failing.
The pressure, self-doubts, and lack of self-compassion vehemently contribute to an unhealthy mindset. It makes you think that you aren’t enough. When, in reality, you just fail to realize your true potential.
Self-compassion fosters a positive mindset and allows you to set healthy expectations from yourself and the people around you.
Learn more about our ICF certified dual certification.
5. Taking a Break
Burnout is real. We are so wired into this fast-paced hustle culture that we villainize taking time for ourselves. I am not saying that hustling is wrong. Everyone wants to work towards their goals and stabilize their financial status.
But, at the cost of your mental sanity?
Probably not, right? Well, that’s where you need to understand and analyze what you need and work towards it. It's okay to take a 10-minutes break as it's okay to take a month-long break.
Self-reflect on what your personal needs are at that moment. If you feel burned out and overwhelmed, step back from what you are doing and divert your focus somewhere else.
It allows you to declutter your mind, repurpose your creative energy and then come back with a fresher perspective about things.
Final Words
Our lives are goal-driven but that shouldn’t be our only purpose of existence. In order to build a healthy and positive mindset, you need to monitor the negative thoughts and patterns and work on eliminating them.
It’s a slow and gradual process but one that brings immense changes to your life in the best way possible. Matrrix’s Mindfulness Certification programs familiarize you with those concepts and help you break away from the negative cycles.
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