5 Ways to Take on the New Year with a Positive Mindset
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Ready to shed last year’s negativity with a revamped mindset? Make the most out of this upcoming year by remembering these simple ways to take on the New Year with a positive mindset.
Practice Gratitude
You’ve likely heard it before, and you’ll likely hear it again – practicing gratitude is one of the single most important things that you can do to feel happier. Why? Because it helps to rewire your brain. When you get stuck in cycles of negative thoughts, they burrow in deep, forming neuropathways that impact our mood, how we interact with the environment, how we perceive and remember things, and much more. Feeling grateful for is one of the most effective ways of altering those neuropathways and improving your mood and sense of well-being. So every day, think of at least three things that you are grateful for and focus on them whenever negativity starts to creep in.
Make a Change
If you’ve been stuck in some form of a rut for the past year or more and don’t know how to get out, ask yourself, “what changes have I made to get unstuck?” Often, when we feel unable to change, it is simply because we haven’t tried. So this new year, make a commitment to yourself to make a change, whether it’s asking for help or taking better care of yourself.
Commit to Practicing It
The reality is it’s very easy for our thoughts to slip back into negative patterns. That’s why in order to maintain a positive mindset, it’s crucial to keep your mind primed and on the right path. Eventually, as your brain continues to be stimulated with positive thought patterns, they’ll stick more effortlessly and make you feel lighter, happier, and even healthier.
Make a Vision Board
For a fun, creative, and effective exercise, create a vision board for yourself this year. Vision boards may seem a little silly, but having a visual cue of your goals and what you’re working towards is incredibly motivating and encouraging. So set an afternoon aside and start brainstorming.
Set Manageable Goals
When we feel productive and have achieved something – even a minor task – we feel better about ourselves. But to-do lists for our goals can easily feel overwhelming and eventually fizzle into nothing. The key is to break everything down into bite-sized steps. So this year, when you’re making your Goals List, break it down into baby steps where you can achieve 1-3 of steps every single day. When you get to scratch off the goals you’ve accomplished, it’ll make you feel great and it will motivate you to keep going.
If you’re looking for a safe space with someone to talk to, Ottawa Counselling is here to help. Contact us today to book an appointment.