Our mind is a powerful thing. But it can also be our enemy when it comes to our thoughts and feelings. A healthy mindset can help you overcome difficult times and make your life more fulfilling.
It can even influence the decisions you make and how you act. It goes hand in hand with a healthy happy body, so it's important not to forget about caring for your mind!
Answering the "what is a healthy mindset" question, and how to take control of your outlook will allow you to have fun and improve your quality of life.
Let's get into it!
What is a healthy mindset?
So what is a healthy mindset? Well, it’s not just about exercising and eating healthily – although those things definitely help.
It’s about learning to control any negative thoughts that you may have that come with the daily stresses of life and work. You may be surprised to hear that positive thinking can also improve your happiness, health, and finances.
When did you last take a bit of time for yourself? And no, doing the grocery shopping child-free or switching your work phone off doesn’t count! Well, now you know what a healthy mindset is, you can start to intentionally take the time to work on developing yours!
13 healthy mindset habits to try today
So, how can you have a positive mindset? The answer is to adopt healthy habits that change how you see things and the emotions that you’re feeling.
So here are 13 that you can get started on right away.
1. Love yourself
Let’s start with the most important mindset habit – loving yourself.
Being kind to ourselves has been proven to lower anxiety and stress. It’s a healthy mindset habit that many people struggle with, but once you know how to do it, it will become part of your routine.
Self-love is also tough when we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. There's only one you and it's important to focus on yourself and your unique journey.
So, how do we show ourselves some love?
Spend more time doing what makes you feel happy, comfortable, and confident. Don't worry about what others think and allow yourself to make mistakes!
2. Keep a gratitude journal
Keeping a gratitude journal is a fantastic way to record your thoughts and make you feel happier about your life.
It can improve your mindset by helping you understand your worries and stresses and help you tackle them head-on by making a note of any triggers.
All that you need to do is spend a few minutes writing down your thoughts and feelings on what you’re grateful for. If you’re unsure where to start, try something simple such as writing about your morning, things you’re proud of, or an event that you’re looking forward to.
There are tons of different types of journals that you can use to channel your thoughts. You can also make notes on your phone if you prefer. The important thing is choosing the method that works for you.
3. Make the right food choices
Food affects our mind as well as our body, so what you eat can negatively impact your mood and outlook on life. Have you ever considered why you may feel so rubbish after a day of eating junk food? Chances are it's the high levels of saturated fats and sugar that you've just consumed.
So what is a healthy mindset when it comes to food? Try to include the following in your diet:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Salmon
- Nuts, seeds, and legumes
And avoid the following:
- Artificial sweeteners
- Processed foods
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water too! There are so many significant benefits of staying hydrated which include a healthy mind.
Making the right food choices doesn't mean you can't ever eat your favorite burgers and cakes again. It's all about balance and moderation.
4. Get moving
We know the benefits that regular exercise has on our bodies. But did you know that moving can also improve your mental health too?
From improved sleep to better moods, exercising regularly is one of the best healthy mindset habits that improve your future.
You don’t need to sign up for a gym membership if that’s not your style. Try going for a walk or a swim with some pals so you can catch up and have fun at the same time.
Experts recommend getting 150 minutes of physical activity every week. The CDC explains that whilst this may sound like quite a bit of time, when you break it down to 30 minutes each day it's easily achievable.
5. Take time to appreciate the small things
Having things to look forward to can really help you feel more optimistic and make a big difference in the way you feel about your life. But only focusing on big occasions such as vacations, weddings, and promotions can mean that you miss the small, everyday things that bring daily joy.
Try a long walk, calling a friend, or reading a book. Or even treat yourself to your favorite snack and eat it slowly sitting in the park. You’ll be surprised at how simple things can bring you a lot of pleasure.
6. Spend time with positive, like-minded people
Happiness and positivity are contagious. Have you ever walked into a room full of happy, smiley people and felt instantly better? That’s because other people’s emotions rub off on us.
So get into the habit of only hanging around with the people in your life that make you feel good. It’s time to ditch the ones that don’t.
To attract positive people into your life, believe in yourself, and acknowledge and celebrate your strengths and achievements. If you don't believe in yourself, then you'll attract other people that struggle with self-love.
7. Start a new hobby
Finding free time for a hobby is not always easy, but the mental health benefits of doing something you enjoy are more than worth it.
Hobbies are a really great way to relieve stress and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. In turn, this helps you live a happier and more fulfilling life by giving you a mental escape from everyday life.
Having a hobby is also a great way to meet like-minded people and share something you love. In turn, this helps you live a happier and more fulfilling life.
Stuck for ideas? Here are a few to research and try:
- Journaling
- Reading
- Cooking and baking (the most popular hobby in America!)
- Painting
- Sport and exercise
8. Give to charity
Giving is good for you. Fact. Acts of kindness can combat depression, and also anxiety.
You don’t have to donate lots of money to charity to make a difference. You can offer to volunteer in your local community or set up events to raise money for a specific charity.
So giving not only benefits those you help, but it’s also a healthy mindset habit that will benefit your own life. It can improve your self-confidence, give you a sense of purpose and keep you mentally stimulated. All of which are essential to a healthy mindset.
9. Share your feelings
Talking about your emotions and feelings is the key to maintaining a healthy mind. Sharing your thoughts with someone close to you allows you to get new opinions on a situation or help you come to a decision that you have been struggling to make.
Speaking about your feelings out loud also helps you learn what's important to you. This will allow you to live a more fulfilling life in tune with your values.
Not comfortable opening up about your feelings?
Try writing them down first then find a suitable time, place, and communication method that feels right for you. This could be a phone call, voice note, or face-to-face meeting.
10. Set goals for your life and your finances
Goals can help positively impact your life by motivating you to work towards something that makes you happy. Whether that’s working towards a promotion, buying your first house, or getting married, goals help focus your mind.
Setting goals is also motivational. So they can help you make the changes that you want in a productive way.
Financial goals in particular will help prevent overspending. Sticking with a savings goal will also help prevent other bad financial habits such as getting into debt or having a bad credit score.
Overall, financial stability will lead to increased levels of happiness and well-being.
11. Take a flexible approach to life
Life quite often doesn’t go to plan, and that’s ok. So being flexible can help protect your mental health. How?
Disappointment and negative feelings are natural when something doesn’t go to plan. But they can often lead to depression and wider mental health issues.
Reminding yourself of your life goals can also help you cope with disappointment. Every small step you make means you're heading in the right direction to achieve your dreams.
Some things in life are outside of our control. An effective healthy mindset habit to try is accepting this happens and moving on. You’ll be surprised at how much more fulfilling your life is when you don’t sweat the small stuff.
12. Reflect regularly
It’s easy to get focused on the routine of everyday life and forget what life is really about. Reflecting regularly allows you to celebrate small successes and accomplishments that you have achieved.
Self-reflection can also help you learn, grow and appreciate things by bringing perspective into your life. It's also a great way to practice self-appreciation.
Take several minutes each day to think about the good things in your life and what makes you happy. It can make a massive difference to your overall mood and well-being and give your mind a chance to take a break.
13. Achieve the right work-life balance for you
A healthy work-life balance can mean different things to different people.
To find out what it means to you, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is causing you stress or unhappiness in your life?
- What feelings do you experience daily?
- What are your priorities?
Now you can start reprioritizing things to improve your work-life balance. For example, if you work long hours and miss out on time to socialize with family and friends, you may consider changing your work hours or looking for a new job.
Regardless of your priorities, you should always have enough time to sleep properly, eat well, and socialize. Worrying about work at home is unhealthy and can negatively impact your mindset.
Healthy mindset tips and tricks to leverage
Your mindset is one of the most important parts of your life, so it’s important to look after it. That said, sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to start.
Here are some smart tips and tricks on how to use the mindset habits above to create and maintain a healthy mindset.
Start somewhere
Sometimes the smallest actions have a huge impact on our lives.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve everything in one go. Instead, just start somewhere. This could be a daily walk to boost your mood or writing down five things that you’re grateful for.
Stop comparing yourself to others
Comparing yourself to somebody else can lower your self-esteem and self-worth. If you often wish your life was like somebody’s that you follow online, either stop following them or take a break from social media.
Don’t doubt your own ability
To achieve great things, you have to believe in yourself.
Overcome self-doubt by practicing self-love and reflecting on your past achievements. Saying sorry to yourself is a good first step to take when moving forward.
Move on from setbacks
If you find yourself breaking healthy mindset habits, don’t beat yourself up about it. The important thing is that you learn from your setback and move forward.
What did you learn? What will you do differently next time?
Making mistakes is part of life and what you learn can help you grow as a person.
Healthy mind, happy life! Develop a healthy mindset starting today!
Learning how to adopt a healthy mindset has so many benefits. Make this your best year yet with these healthy habits, tips, and tricks.
Pick and choose the ones that work best for you, or give all of them a go. And remember how crucial it is to live a healthy lifestyle and of course, be smart with your finances!