Most of us feel that their mind is all over the place. When can't stop thinking of this or that. Do you feel it is hard to focus or stop thinking about a certain event or thought? Are you only thinking of negative things and can’t seem to shake them off? Are negative thoughts trying to consume you or make you unhappy? Ultimately, perception is your reality, so changing the way you look at your life can make the difference.
"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
Kahlil Gibran
To change your mindset is not easy, but it is one of the most powerful things you can do. Learning to recognize a negative mindset from a positive one, is the first step. Once you do, you will be empowered to make those changes and start seeking out the positive. This can improve your mental mindset and help bring inner peace.
Consider the last time you were fully present at work or home, what were you doing? How did you feel? How productive were you?
Life can be filled with habits and routines. Most of us at work you sit at the same desk, open the same program, speak to the same people about the same issues. It is the same thing but a different day. Try changing a few things. Take a different route to work, speak to someone who you normally would email, eat something different. Doing new things makes you switch from auto-pilot to a more present awareness. Don’t get me wrong, living in the present moment can be highly enjoyable, but you should enjoy the simple pleasures in each moment, no matter what it circulates around. It might be the taste of your sandwich, the landscape on your route to work or while exercising. Try not to take things for granted, don’t dismiss these everyday moments. They boost your mood and mental well-being. Just know that you can always find room for improvement, it always exists. When you notice something new, you have space to explore, discover and grow. Make work or home an adventure by seeking to discover subtly new ways to perform your tasks.
If you have negative thoughts through out the day, imagine you can put them on a cloud and float away. The idea is to create a sense of distance between you and your thoughts, not to just get rid of them. Refocus your attention on the task or person in front of you.
Try these steps to change your mindset:
1. Try not to focus on what’s wrong. Try to think about things that are actually going your way. We know there may be a lot of negative things happening right now, but there are at least some aspects of your life that are in a good shape. Try focusing on that and be thankful for them.
2. Give yourself a self-talk. Your thoughts create your reality and your mindset will hold you back if you are only giving yourself negative self-talks. Tell yourself “I can do this” or “I got this”, it really has a positive effect on your mindset and helps increase your positivity and productivity.
3. Surround yourself with the people that match your desired mindset. If you want to be successful and productive, then surround yourself with people that have that mindset. Watch and learn how they think and try to adapt some of their habits.
4. Get out of your comfort zone. Put yourself in challenging situations, that will help you rise to the occasion and upgrade your mindset.
5. Stay away from social media or limit the time you are on. Giving yourself a little me-time without being on a screen is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Use the time to relax, journal, exercise, make dinner, and relish in the act of being in the moment of me-time. Exercise, read, listen to music, or meditate.
6. Last but certainly not least, SLEEP. Staying up late and getting up early, will exhaust you and your mind. When I stay up late thinking and reliving the day’s events, I am EXHAUSTED and feel overwhelmed the next day. Try getting off the screens at least 2 hours before you head for bed. It helps your mind unwind. Going to bed at a reasonable time can help you relax and get a good night’s sleep.
I hope you are in a good mindset, but if you feel you aren’t, ask for help. Sometimes we need someone to help us get through a certain issue or just to listen to what we have to say. It is ok to ask for help. It is NOT ok to try and get through it without help. If you are over your head, do yourself a favor and ask for help. There is always that one person that knows how to calm and help you get through things. Just ask.