Before I immigrated from South Africa to Australia I decided to adopt a positive mindset so that when I arrived I would have a positive attitude towards all the challenges that I knew I would be facing.
It’s now been 28 years since my immigration and I still find myself appreciating living in Sydney and the beauty and the security that this country has to offer.
Looking back I can see how adopting a positive mindset (a collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape your thought habits) enabled me to have a positive attitude (a settled way of thinking that is reflected in a person’s behaviour) and allowed for a smooth immigration process.
Your mindset is pivotal for personal growth, self-love and for getting the results you want in your life. If you’re stuck in a fixed negative state of mind, it can be difficult to recognise that it could be time for a mindset shift. Feel like that could be the case for you? Here is a seven-point checklist to see if it’s time for you to make some changes.
- You put yourself down often
Be kind to yourself. Notice what you are saying to yourself. Talk to yourself as though you are talking to your best friend. Ask yourself, would I talk to my best friend like that? Would I say it in that way? Would I use those words or would I be more conscious of what my message is and how I am delivering my message?
Why would you not give yourself the same honour? In fact, you are even more important than your best friend. You are the most important person in your life!
2. Your expectation of happiness
For some reason, we believe that we are meant to be happy all of the time.
Life’s emotional experience is 50/50. There is a contrast in the world. We can’t really know happiness if we don’t know sadness.
If you can accept that having a negative emotion is part of the human experience then you can release yourself from the struggle of trying to be happy all of the time.
Embrace the negative emotion in your life. By accepting that that is part of being human, it will give you the space to drop the judgement which says that there is something wrong with you because you are not happy 100% of the time.
3. You only see negative things
Do you tend to put a strong focus on what’s wrong in your life and rarely (or never! ) acknowledge the good parts? This is a major sign that you’ll benefit from a mindset shift to a more positive one that will help you to build better mental strength.
As you probably know from personal experience, negative thinking paves the way for stress, anxiety and for negative actions which will have negative effects on your life.
Tip: Add a gratitude practice into your day. At the end of your day mention three things that you are grateful for from your day.
4. You put yourself after everyone else
How are you doing when it comes to self-care and taking care of your own needs? If you feel that it’s selfish to focus on yourself rather than on other people, then perhaps it’s time to alter your mindset and to make yourself more of a priority.
Putting yourself first sometimes is important for your own health and wellbeing, especially when it comes to things like sleep, exercise and healthy eating. Self-care triggers a relaxation response, which can help to stop the stress response that can have negative effects on your health. These days, we know that chronic stress and the inflammation that stress can trigger is a big factor in many health issues. Self-care can, therefore, be more crucial than you think and changing your mindset to reflect this can be one of the best things you can do for your own health and wellness.
5. You blame yourself for everything
When things don’t go according to plan, do you usually put the blame solely on yourself and refuse to recognise that other factors may be involved too? Excessive self-blame is linked to mental health problems such as depression. It’s also something that holds you back from being able to learn and grow from your mistakes and experiences.
Instead of blaming yourself, try recognising that it’s time to shift your mindset towards self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. We all make mistakes and having a mindset that accepts this and looks for ways to use them in a positive way, can go a long way in not being so hard on yourself.
6. You worry constantly
Everyone worries now and again but if your worries are consuming you, you’ll definitely benefit from a mindset change.
A negative and anxious mindset can be exhausting and unproductive. A lot of the time, you’re worrying about things that will never happen or that you can’t change so it’s literally wasted energy. Finding ways to stop worrying about things you have no control over is important in order to have a positive mindset. And for the things that you can change? Focus on what you could do to make that happen.
7. Your routines have changed
Have you noticed a shift in your sleep, appetite and mood lately? If this isn’t for the better, it’s another sign that your mindset could use a more positive stance.
A negative mindset can have an effect on your health so it’s probably no great surprise to know that negative changes in your routines can be caused by your mindset.
So, have a look at these seven areas of your life and decide whether it’s time for you to work on changing your attitude. It may not be easy but you will have a more fulfilling life once you have made some changes.
References:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180410-how-your-mindset-determines-your-health
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-attitude-and-mindset
Medical Disclaimer: All information contained in this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent health problems. For all serious health issues, please contact a medical or nutrition practitioner. The information provided in this blog is based on the best knowledge of the author at the time of writing and we do not assume liability for the information within this blog, be it direct or indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.