Mindset has more of an effect than most of us realize. Those who are optimistic or maintain an attitude of gratitude are much more likely to live fulfilling lives than those who remain pessimistic and look at the world as a glass-half-empty. So if you’re looking to improve your life, a simple way to do so is to shift your mindset. Here are a few tips and tricks to do so.
How to Improve Your Life by Shifting Your Mindset
Content Summary
Write down your goals and plans to achieve them
Recognize and challenge negative thoughts
Embrace gratitude
Take a break from negative media
Meditate or try mindfulness techniques
The Bottom Line
Write down your goals and plans to achieve them
Everyone has goals, but very few people make the effort to write them down, and even fewer break their goals down into manageable steps that make them more achievable. But the practice of writing down specific goals, along with clear plans to make them a reality, greatly improves your chances of achieving them. Plus, once you’ve figured out exactly what you want to do and how you’re going to do it, your mindset will shift to be much more purpose-driven, and it’s likely that your life will improve.
Recognize and challenge negative thoughts
It may be difficult at first, but try to have more awareness of the types of thoughts that pass through your mind. When a negative thought arises, don’t be critical of yourself, but instead, challenge the thought. For example, maybe you’re thinking of all the things that could potentially go wrong at work tomorrow. Ask yourself, what would happen if everything went right? Or maybe you’re overly self-critical and tell yourself that you’re just not capable of attaining the things you want. Remind yourself of your positive traits and be compassionate towards yourself. This takes practice, but with time, it will become second nature and your overall mindset will become much more positive, which lends itself to a happier life overall.
Embrace gratitude
When you focus on the things that you do have rather than on the things that you lack, you’ll find that life seems much better. One way to embrace gratitude effectively is to start a gratitude journal. Each day, take a few minutes to write down several things that you’re grateful for. They can be small and simple; for example, on a morning when you’re having trouble waking up, you might write down that you’re grateful that you were able to drink a cup of coffee. When you look at the world through a lens of gratitude, your mindset and life will shift to become much more positive.
Take a break from negative media
Recently, it seems like wherever we turn, we’re confronted with another horrible news story or upsetting information. It’s completely okay to take a break from the negativity sometimes. The media we consume has a huge effect on our mental wellbeing, and sometimes it’s better to say goodbye to the news and social media for a while. This doesn’t mean that you can’t handle it. It just means that you’re choosing not to engage with it for your own mental wellness. When you don’t put as much negativity into your mind, you’ll find that your mindset and your life become more uplifting and fulfilling.
Meditate or try mindfulness techniques
A quick way to shift your mindset is to meditate or engage in mindfulness. Meditation can be sitting and focusing on your breathing for a few minutes, or you can even follow along with a guided meditation video. Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment and being aware of your current thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. With this awareness, you can then take action to change anything that isn’t serving you in a positive way. Even just taking several deep breaths can calm you and make you feel much more capable.
The Bottom Line
One of the easiest ways to improve your life as a whole is to shift your mindset to become more positive. You can do this by writing down your goals, along with clear plans to achieve them. You can also make the effort to recognize and challenge any negative thoughts that pop up in your mind. Embracing gratitude and taking breaks from negativity can also make a huge difference in your mindset. Finally, meditation, breathing exercises, and mindfulness can provide a simple and quick shift that makes you feel empowered and improves your life over time.
