Over the past few months I have really been focusing on putting myself in a better mental place. Having stopped my depression medication in February, it has honestly been a long journey. I can finally say that I am in one of the best places in my life, and if you are struggling with this, you can do it too! Here are a few ways that you can change your mindset.
Start Practicing Gratitude
I will go ahead and disclose that I am not a spiritual person, at all. Even though I am not active in any religion, I do think that you can change your mindset by respecting the world around us. Practicing gratitude will help you realize all of the good around you. A lot of time people think that you have to have a journal to practice, but you really do not. Here are 5 ways you can practice gratitude starting today!
- Use a journal: You can take any journal or notebook you have and write out 5 – 10 things you are grateful for each day.
- Meditate: I have been actively meditating for almost 15 years now, and I swear this helps! Wake up a little earlier to have a 5 -10 minute meditation and think about everything you are grateful for, say them outlaid, or silently to yourself.
- Join a Group: There are seriously so many resources online of amazing people who are also on a journey to change their mindset. You can find these groups either on Facebook, or there may even be a local group near you. If you cannot find a group to join, start your own!
Take a Look at Those Around You
This is one of the more difficult tasks, but you may need to take a look at the people around you. If you notice that there is a particular individual who is bringing your energy down or makes you feel negative, it is either time to have a conversation with them about how they are making you feel, or you can just move past them.
We all know people who fall into this category, and trust me, keeping them around is not worth it. It can even be family that is changing your mindset. You have to remember that what you hear directly impacts what you say and how you think. If all you hear is negativity or gossip, that is what you are going to think about as well.
Practice Positive Affirmations
Years ago, positive affirmations were never my thing. I did not think that talking to myself or telling myself things were going to be okay would actually work. Last year I started to use positive affirmations to help me manage my anxiety and depression. Not only did they calm me down in those times, but I also noticed a boost in how I felt about myself and my motivation to do things.
You can either write down positive affirmations in a journal, on your phone or listen to an audio that has them repeating. I am a huge fan of listening to positive affirmations and repeating them. This is such an easy task, and you can seriously feel a change in your mindset after you start this. It almost feels like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders.
Observe Your Thoughts
A lot of the time we suppress our thoughts. We pretend that we can bury them and they will just go away. The truth is, those thoughts do no go away, period. All they do is sit in the depths of our mind and continue to make us second guess ourselves. You need to make sure you are taking the time to think about why you are feeling certain things if they are really impacting your life, and how you feel about it. If you ask yourself these questions, you can usually get down to the bottom of these thoughts and help them go on their way.
Get Up and Get Moving
The current state of the world has a lot of us stuck inside. Even if you are still under restrictions where you live, there are plenty of ways that you can get up and get moving. It can be as basic as just getting up and cleaning your home, taking your dog on a walk, or masking up and heading to the grocery store. Chances are that if you are spending all of your time inside or alone, you are probably having some down moments. I highly suggest making sure you are still as active as you can be. You can think of it as your body moving releases everything that is keeping you down!
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The Comments
Charlie
These are such lovely ideas!, I like the idea of keeping a journal to practice gratitude that’s something I really want to start doing. I find I can become a bit fixed on what I don’t have or what I’m not doing that it’s ever so easy to forget about what I actually do have and what I’m achieving currently!. Thanks for sharing! xx.
Charlie | http://www.alittleglossy.com
ashleestuart
CharlieHonestly same Charlie! I used to always think about what my life was lacking as opposed to everything I do have and everything I have accomplished. It is amazing how small changes can make such a huge difference! Thanks for reading!
Candice Sandler
I have definitely fell victim of just not feeling as motivated it’s been really hard with so much going on.
ashleestuart
Candice SandlerOMG, so true! I think this year has really helped me realize that I needed to start making some changes in my life!
Danielle
Something that I am definitely going to have to start implementing into my everyday life, I feel like I am at a place to make some positive changes!
Danielle
https://www.thereluctantblogger.co.uk/
ashleestuart
DanielleAbsolutely! A lot of times we don’t even know we are ready for a change until we take the very first step!
Lisa Autumn
YAY thank you so much for sharing lovely x Hope you are well!
Lisa | lisaautumn.com
ashleestuart
Lisa AutumnThanks so much Lisa, and thank you for reading!
Julia
Congratulations on working on yourself! It’s not easy, but every step is great progress. 🙂
Practising positive affirmations can be so powerful and make oneself start and end the day right – I love that! Using a journal is also something I do often, it’s very rewarding. Hope you’re having an awesome weekend!
Julia x
My blog moved!
Read a blog post on my newly upgraded blog now! ♥
ashleestuart
JuliaThank you so much Julia! I hope you are having an amazing weekend too!