We all have days when we struggle with our mindset.
Whether it be a rush of negative thoughts, severe anxiety, or other mindset shifts, managing our mindsets can be as confusing as it is challenging.
In this article, I will break down what mindset is, why it’s essential, and some ways to quickly improve your mindset on days you are struggling.
WHAT IS MINDSET?
A mindset is a mental attitude or inclination, a fixed state of mind.
When you’re battling anger issues, you could say that you carry an angry mindset.
The same goes for people who tend to see the glass half-full; they could be categorized as carrying a positive mindset.
There are two distinct types of mindsets:
FIXED MINDSET:
People who have a fixed mindset believe that these qualities are inherent and virtually unchangeable.
GROWTH MINDSET:
Conversely, people who have a growth mindset believe that these qualities can be developed and strengthened by hard work and dedication.
WHY IS MINDSET IMPORTANT?
There are several reasons why mindset is essential to your life.
When we change our mindset to align with our values, purpose, and goals, we give ourselves a more significant opportunity to achieve, act, and live them out.
Developing a healthier mindset can set the stage for every other area of your life; romantic relationships; career opportunities; physical, emotional, and mental health; family and friends; and achieving your desired goals.
Mindset also can carry us through the rough patches that life inevitably brings to us. When you possess a healthier mindset, you typically have more emotional stability and bounce back quicker from any adverse situations. Certain people that I admire who have this healthy mindset have been through just as much chaos and struggle like others, but they possess qualities that help them overcome and thrive, even through adversity.
WHAT IS A HEALTHY MINDSET?
The answer to this question is entirely subjective, depending on each person. Still, through my own experience and research, specific characteristics of a healthy mindset tend to be more prevalent.
Not every person who has a healthy mindset possesses every quality, but most do.
These people possess the following characteristics:
- Don’t take things too personally
- Understand healthy boundaries
- Don’t let setbacks define them
- In tune with their emotions
- Have a healthy balance in life
- Don’t care about what others think of them
- Confident but not arrogant
- Masters at practicing gratitude
5 WAYS TO QUICKLY IMPROVE YOUR MINDSET WHEN YOU’RE STRUGGLING
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is “The practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.”
When you practice mindfulness, you are trying to stay hyper-focused in the present moment and not get caught up in the thought of the past or worries of the future. Doing this will be incredibly beneficial in building a healthy mindset.
I have found that when you first begin to practice being mindful, it takes a lot of effort. Your thoughts will wander, you’ll ruminate about the past, you’ll worry about the future, but the key is to keep coming back to the present moment by:
- OBSERVING YOUR THOUGHTS WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THEM
- LETTING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS FLOW THROUGH YOU LIKE A TRAIN CAR PASSING ON RAILROAD TRACKS
- FOCUSING ON WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING IN THAT MOMENT
LEARN THE 90-SECOND RULE
This is such a simple and effective tool to grow a healthy mindset.
The 90-second rule is a term coined by Harvard brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor.
She discovered that when a person has an emotional reaction to something in their environment, there’s a 90-second chemical process. Any emotional response beyond that 90-seconds is the person choosing to stay in that emotional loop.
This means that we can choose not to get caught up in a highly charged emotional situation by, in a sense, distracting ourselves for 90-seconds while the chemicals producing the emotion calm down.
When creating a healthy mindset, managing your highly charged emotions is critical in keeping your peace of mind.
USE THE TRAIN CAR TECHNIQUE
I have been practicing this for quite some time and have begun to master it.
My cousin, a psychologist, first taught me this technique when I struggled with obsessive thoughts over a failed relationship. He said, “Try to think of those obsessive thoughts as though they are on a train car, and the train car is coming down the tracks, and you see it, acknowledge it, and then let it pass.”
This strategy has been arguably the most successful in combatting my obsessively anxious thoughts.
It’s another unique way to manage anxiety.
As soon as I see the thought and feel the emotion that comes with it, I put it on a train car (or boat, or plane) and see it coming down the tracks (feel it), watch it pass, and then let it go. Visualizing this can be highly beneficial when it comes to managing anxiety. Once you let it go, focus on whatever task or situation is in front of you.
TRY DEEP BREATHING
Several studies show that breathing techniques are an effective way to manage anxiety.
We all know that emotions can affect our body’s state of being. Whenever we become emotionally fueled with anger or fear, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and causes us to breathe faster and shallower. What is fascinating is that the opposite is true; the body’s state of being can affect emotions. What does this mean? If you can regulate your body’s state of being by incorporating deep breathing techniques into your daily life, this will positively affect your emotions. Conversely, breathing problems such as acute breathing or sporadic breathing can cause panic attacks and other negative states of being, negatively affecting emotions.
Breathing is essential to calming ourselves down and improve our mindset.
Always remember this famous quote from Dr. Edmund Jacobson:
“An anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body.”
REMEMBER THE WORD HALT
HALT is an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.
It’s used in drug-rehabilitation programs to help those struggling with addiction to remember that they will be more prone to using whenever they are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
But this same acronym can also apply to managing anxiety.
Whenever you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, you will increase the odds of falling into a bout of anxiety. Try remembering HALT as a way to avert that anxiety. If you find yourself experiencing one or more of those four words, then take action to remedy the situation. By taking action, you will give yourself a great chance at staving off any anxiety.
IN REVIEW
Your mindset is not static and fixed, and it’ll fluctuate, depending on various factors. Hence, the goal becomes to limit factors that negatively impact your mindset and use techniques like the ones above on days you struggle. Some techniques will work better than others, depending on the person. Lastly, remember that we all have those “off” days, don’t let this deter you. Get up the next day and do your best.
If you have any questions or would like a free mindset coaching consultation – contact me at brad@upplifter.com.
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
Latest posts by Brad Coreno (see all)
- 8 Proven Tips To Improve Your Communication Skills - April 29, 2022
- 5 Proven Ways To Manage Work-Related Anxiety - April 3, 2022
- 10 Steps To Develop A Growth Mindset - March 13, 2022