Cultivating a Healthy Mindset
Throughout my life I have had a tug of war with my health. Always wanting to do what was right and do well treating my body like a temple but by being to strict I would crash. I learned that it is all about a balance and creating healthy habits mentally to keep me in check. Not beating myself up if I don't get a workout in or ate the delicious sweet treat that I was craving. My belief is that everything in moderation and avoiding the things that are not serving me well. Creating space for healthy thoughts because when negative or unwanted thoughts set in they will not serve me the way that is positive.
So what is a healthy mindset and how can you create space for what really matters. Creating a healthy mindset means digging deep and letting go of the thoughts that are holding you down and growing from them instead. Creating an open mental space that when things get tough or in your way you can learn to:
- Accept what is going on graciously.
- Let go of the thought by putting it on a train and watching it go by.
There are a few ways that you can do this. There will be ups and downs and some days may be easier than others and that is ok. Like the saying goes "Rome wasn't built in a day". Remember to connect with your breath, it is always going to be there for you. Inhale and exhale and take a moment before letting the thoughts take over your mental space. See if it helps you regroup, refocus and react differently. Use the following key points to aid in cultivating your healthy mindset.
Strength
We all have our inner super hero that gives us the strength and courage to push forward. Channel that super hero when you feel stuck, or fearful of taking action. Taking the first step may be scary but be assured that we are strong and this will help build confidence and get you through.
Mindfulness
This is about listening to ourselves and respecting ourself. It is so easy to get side tracked and avoid what is really going on. When we start to compare and focus on what others are doing it will steer off your path. Staying mindful to what our goals are and what is important.
Compassion
By creating a healthy mindset there needs to be self compassion. We often find a cycle of doubting ourselves, comparing to others, wanting more to fit in. All these things will not allow us to reach our goals and dreams because we are worried about what others think. We have to learn to accept ourselves for who we are, embrace the perfect imperfections and create expectations that are attainable one step at at time on OUR journey.
Vision
We have to look at what we want with clarity. By really focusing on what matters and what doesn't we can really get a clear picture of what we need to do to reach our goal. Having a clear vision allows us stay on track without letting negative words, feelings and emotions get to us. Even in uncertainty we can be certain of what where we are headed and what we will achieve.
Stillness
Taking time in the day to be with our thoughts and create a calm will help our day and create positive reactions when unnecessary things come our way. Creating stillness by mediation, exercise, yoga, or just being in the moment will allow us to recognize when we are over thinking. This will give us balance and understating when we need to centre our thoughts and refocus our attention on what matters the most to us.
