Tips for Keeping Positive

“Keeping Positive!” Something that sounds so simple, but yet can be so challenging at times. There’s no doubt that there are many factors that can impact our mindset, and in today’s current events, it can feel more difficult now more than ever to be positive. Life factors range from work conflict to family issues, from friendship concerns to global crises; sometimes it can be easy to get lost in a negative mindset and hard to find your way back to positivity. Here are some tips for working your way to a more positive mindset.

Lifestyle Choices (Nutrition & Physical Activity)

We hear it all the time, and we know how beneficial it can be, but proper nutrition and consistent physical activity are some of the key components that can lead to living with a positive mindset. This is something I often recommend, as do many therapists, as an addition to consistent psychotherapy. Consistent physical activity not only fuels the body with wonderful endorphins (the happy hormones), but it can produce enough endorphins for a long-term and consistent positive mindset. Physical activity can vary from LISS (Low-intensity steady-state) exercise to HIIT (High-Intensity interval training), to weight lifting, to a team sport, or any form of physical activity that helps move your body in a safe and healthy way. The truth is, it doesn’t matter what form of exercise you choose to do, as long as you’re moving safely and consistently, you can reap the benefits of those wonderful endorphins that flow through the body and brain.

Nutrition will also naturally aid a positive mind. Eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients plays a major role in helping with mental clarity, physical health, and mental health. It might sound like a simple concept; however, sometimes people tend to over-extend and push too far into controlling their diet and exercise, leading to extreme restriction and over-exercising. By doing this, we end up exhausting our bodies and brains, leading to a crash and no longer caring about nutritional and physical health. This is a vicious cycle that many are too familiar with. This is why balance is the main goal. We can engage with food that is good for the body, and some food that is good for the soul. Happy bodies and brains, lead to a happy and more positive mindset.

Mindfulness

This is a very familiar term used in the mental health field, but it can be easy to lose sight of what it means to be mindful or practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a conscious state of being present in the here and now. It is so common to get caught up in our thoughts of worrying about what will happen tonight, tomorrow, or six months into the future; or concerned and replaying something that happened yesterday or years ago. These patterns keep our minds from being present in the moment and can trigger anxiety.

Now, many people might hear mindfulness and think it can only be done through meditation. However, this is not the only way to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness can be any activity or thinking habit that will bring our minds back to being in the moment. This can be an interest or hobby, that can vary from arts and crafts, cooking, journaling, physical activity, and so much more. Mindfulness is to be present or focused on the here and now, no matter what you are doing, and activities like these encourage you to focus on the enjoyable task right in front of you. If you find it difficult to practice mindfulness even through interests and hobbies, practicing your awareness of your physical senses can be helpful. One very useful grounding activity that can help bring yourself back to the moment is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding exercise. During this activity, you can either say aloud, or write down, five things you can see, four things you can feel on your body, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. I also like to follow up with five deep breaths. Doing grounding activities such as this can make it difficult to think about things in the past or future because you are so focused on pointing out these senses. It is also important to remember that practice makes permanent. Consistently practicing mindfulness will create a strong skill that you can utilize in moments of feeling neutral and in moments of experiencing stress. As we learn to live in a more consistent state of mindfulness, a positive mindset will naturally follow.

Self-Care

What does self-care truly look like? There are so many components to self-care, sometimes it can be easy to neglect some forms of self-care. Self-care can be personal hygiene, balanced nutrition and exercise, or practicing mindfulness. All these areas are extremely important to practicing self-care and therefore keeping positive. However, self-care may also look like knowing when to decline invites and set boundaries with friends, family, and loved ones. It can be easy to say “yes” to things you might not want to do in order to make someone else happy, instead of yourself. Although we want to be supportive of close people in our lives, taking into account our needs is very important. Sometimes saying “no” to others means saying “yes” to yourself and allows you to take time to regenerate, work on personal goals, and take time for yourself to move towards a positive mindset.

Support

Being able to lean on yourself and make yourself accountable for self-care is a fantastic goal to strive for. However, in some instances, it can feel very challenging to start on your own. Reaching out for support when you need it can be one of the most important things you can do to help strive for positive thinking. Support can range from close friends, family, loved ones, and mental healthcare professionals. Being able to lean on someone for support or mild forms of accountability can be a great stepping stone to practicing self-accountability. It’s important to recognize when you might need more support, and even more so, when the support you need may exceed what friends and family can offer. Connecting with a mental healthcare professional can offer more support and guidance to uncover what may be clouding positive thinking, and how to work towards optimal mental hygiene. Taking that first step to reach out for support may seem daunting, but can make a world of difference in how you achieve your own positive mindset.