Starting the new year with a positive mindset
With the first few months expected to be tough how do we gear ourselves up for this and start the year with a positive mindset? Here we share 4 tips that will help you feel more optimistic and keep your mental health intact.
Get journaling
Journaling is one of the best-known tools for helping anxiety, stress management and boosting general happiness. This form of self-expression may be associated with the image of a teen girl writing about her high school crush but as an adult it is so much more than that! All you will need is a pen and a notebook! It’s incredibly easy to do, extremely fulfilling and you can incorporate it into your life in whichever way works for you. Daily, weekly or whenever you feel you need to. Journaling can be used in a variety of ways but writing down your worries and anything on your mind will help you process emotions and clear your head; it can help transition you from a negative mindset to a more positive one.
Listen to a podcast
With such a wide range of topics to explore there is something for everyone when it comes to podcasts. Whether you are looking for something to inspire you or relax you, making it a daily practice can give food for thought and encourage you to focus on your wellbeing. If you are struggling mentally there is absolutely a podcast that will help you feel less stuck and may help give you some direction.
We love Happy Place by Fearne Cotton which focuses on how to find the joy in the everyday. It feels comforting and light, yet not fluffy. It covers important topics such as depression, body positivity, motherhood, stress and recovery through candid conversations with those in the public eye who have overcome mental health struggles. It aims to bring simple happiness and perspective.
Eat a healthy breakfast
Aside from the obvious nutritional benefits to eating a good breakfast, making it a daily ritual helps put us on track for a more positive day. It has an incredible impact on our minds because whatever we do first thing typically sets the tone for how the rest of our day will play out. It produces a sense of wellbeing, and a positive start motivates and energises us in a way which sets us up for a happier, more productive and successful day.
Practice gratitude
Taking time to reflect on things that we are thankful for produces positive emotions and can lead to an improvement to so many areas of our lives. This pivotal change in mindset can lead to a better sleeping pattern, enhance relationships and generally benefit health overall. Noting down the small moments each day that you are grateful for can open your eyes to all the good things around you. It may be something as simple as ‘my husband cooked dinner because I was tired’. A great way to track these moments is by jotting them down on a piece of paper and putting them in a jar. Then at the end of the year you can open the ‘Gratitude Jar’ and read about all the wonderful experiences and people you were grateful for. It’s a great one to do with the whole family and children!
Although things are pretty overwhelming at the moment it’s important to take each day as it comes and focus on the things we can control. The little triumphs and small moments that make our lives full. Here’s to 2021 and happier days ahead…