A few tips for creating a positive mindset so you can start living a life you dream of.
I used to be an extremely negative person that always criticized myself. I found it very easy to sit in a negativity pit blaming others and myself for all the problems in my life. One of the most rewarding things I have learned on my journey towards fitness is that by changing the way I think about myself, all dreams are possible. By creating a positive mindset, I am able to dream big, achieve my goals and get what I truly want out of life. It has also allowed me to become the best person I can be. When you learn to create a positive mindset, you start to attract more positivity. I still have days that are dark, but now I can quickly get out of them, rather than dwelling there. If you are someone who needs a little more positivity in your life, here are my tips for creating a positive mindset so you can start living a life you dream of.
Being positive doesn’t mean sunshine and rainbows.
A lot of people assume because you have a positive mind, everything in your life is great. I can assure you this is not how it works. Life happens, and we are all going to experience struggles, fears, insecurities and flaws. But being positive isn’t about a life without those things. It’s about learning how to move past them and keep going, even when it gets tough.
Be yourself.
I spent years trying to be someone I thought people wanted me to be, rather than embracing and showing who I truly was. This just left me feeling insecure and unsure about myself. You can’t please everyone, so there is no point in trying. Just be yourself and the people you want in your life will love you regardless. If you’re not living the best life you possibly can, doing what you want to do and being who you truly are, then what’s the point? Always be true to yourself and do what makes you happy.
Don’t dwell on the past.
A lot of people sit and dwell on things that have already happened. The past is done and there is nothing you can do to change it. If you are worrying about something you can’t change, then you are only causing yourself unnecessary stress and anxiety. Choose to let go of things you can’t change; take any negatives that has happened as a learning curve and something that can only make you grow into a better person. Holding onto any hurt, anger or frustration won’t do you any good. Those emotions will just eat away at you if you let them. If something has upset you or made you angry, it’s good to take a step back and see what you can do to let it go. While we can’t always control what happens to us, we can control how we react to it.
Find gratitude.
You can bring so much positivity into your life when you learn to find gratitude in all things—big, small, bad and good. If this is something you struggle with, then try and write down one thing every day that you are grateful for. It might even be just waking up and appreciating a roof over your head, which is a total blessing in itself. This can be a hard task at first, but soon you will begin to realize that you have a lot of great things in your life. The moment you move your mind into a gratitude mindset, you instantly bring more positivity in your life.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
One of the worst things you can do in life is compare yourself to others. I see so many girls wishing they could be more like other people, leaving them to feel inadequate and insecure about themselves. Every person is different. Regardless of what you see on the outside, everyone has their own struggles. Don’t ever sit there and compare yourself to anyone. Recognize that every person is unique and has something amazing to offer, including you.
Surround yourself with positive people.
You ultimately become who you surround yourself with the most, so it’s important to look at the people you spend most of your time with. If you find yourself always around others who are complaining and in a negative mindset, it’s easy for you to become negative too. The more positive people you have in your life, the better. Positive people want to see you succeed and will bring you up, even on your bad days.
Listen to your negative self-talk.
Most of the time we talk to ourselves in a way we wouldn’t talk to anyone else. You wouldn’t tell your best friend she isn’t good enough, so why do you tell yourself that? It’s good to become aware of the negative self-talk you let in. Sometimes we do this without even thinking because it’s such an ingrained habit. We let horrible thoughts creep in and believe them to be true. So treat yourself just as you would treat your best friend. Tell yourself what you would tell them and don’t allow that negative self-talk to take hold.
Having a positive life and mindset starts with you and what you think. You have the power to control what affects you, as well as the power to create the mindset you want. Stop focusing on the negative, learn to let go of the past, be yourself, find gratitude, stop comparing and surround yourself with positive people. Most importantly though, learn to treat yourself in the most loving way you can.
