Mindset shifts for a HAPPIER life

Our thoughts can be incredibly powerful. It can either lift us up or drag us down. Our mindsets affect the way we think about everything around us and within us and because it is hard to always be mindful of the quality of our thoughts it can sometimes take on a negative or self-beating path.

When I think about the many life experiences I have had so far, it is wild to think about just how much I have changed and what I have learned when it comes to handling my emotions. I have actively been working on some mindset shifts, some mental adjustments in the hope of leading a happier and content life.

And that is what I wish to share with you here. Some of my mindset changes that I have adopted to help my mind feel like a healthier and happier place to be.

Enjoying the process

You may have noticed that even on our days off or on days when we are on a vacation, our mind is still actively trying to achieve a “goal” or get something done. The mind is never at rest or completely satisfied or content.  A lot of us struggle with this because we have been taught to always stay productive and have a results-oriented mindset. It prioritises having a goal and working towards it.

Of course, it is wonderful to achieve your goals, but it usually comes with the cost of sacrificing your current needs in order to satisfy your future needs. And so, when does this end? The answer is never, and that is why it is important to understand that merely achieving a goal only makes us focus on the end result, the destination. We miss out on all the time and opportunities that led us to our destination and in the process lose out on some of the most enriching experiences of life.  

Take for example the process of cooking. We all know that the result is a plate of food which will get over in less than 15 minutes, but we spend a lot of time and energy putting it together. Ultimately the taste of the food is the most important quality, but it remains as such a small part of the entire process.

So instead of just focusing on the end result, why not shift the focus on the entire process itself and ask yourself how you can enjoy each minute of this journey.

Being aware of your response

Majority of times you are having a bad day because something that you expected to happen either did not happen or did not happen the way you wanted it to. It is you responding to an external element and internalising it to feel a certain way about it. What I am trying to say is that the event in itself was not bad, it was your reaction to it that makes you perceive it as a bad or a good outcome.

So how about we dissect our own thoughts and try to find the chances of that being the potential cause for our unhappiness or stress. Although we are unable to change the circumstances we are in, we can be in charge of how we interpret the event and that can determine how we ultimately choose to feel.

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

-William Shakespeare

Using comparison for inspiration

One of the surest ways to have a downward spiral is looking at social media accounts and comparing yourself to others. It is hard not to, because we are humans and that is what we do. We have always been hardwired to gauge our abilities by using others as a scale of measurement.

While this can sometimes be a good thing, in today’s day of digital networking, it can get very toxic. So what could help is a shift in perspective to allow for a comparison that draws in inspiration and not negativity or fear.

So the next time you are scrolling through social media, first and foremost, make yourself aware of the thoughts going on in your mind. Identify the ones that start to compare yourself to others and channel it differently. Can you use it to gain a new perspective, a new understanding, something you could incorporate in your own lives?

Maybe use it to mentally cheer on the other person for the hardship they may have endured to put up an interesting picture or post. Slowly start shifting your feelings of envy and low self-image to a more powerful feeling of admiration, motivation and you will immediately feel so much more lighter and happier.

Being emotionally aware

One of the biggest shifts in mindset that I have brought into my life is my awareness towards my thoughts and my emotions. I have regular check-ins with myself throughout the day where I ask myself questions like how am I feeling right now? Is there anything that bothers me? Is there something I am looking forward to? And using these tools to acknowledge each of these feelings as opposed to brushing them aside.

When we are able to do this being fully conscious, we are powered with this incredible energy to move forward and help us feel our best. Personally for me, the most effective tool is journaling. It helps me dump all my emotions onto the paper and in the process of doing so, I find myself resolving some conflicts even before they have been fully formulated.

So those are some of my most impactful mindset shifts or habits that have made a huge difference in my life and I sincerely hope this helps in bringing some positive change in yours too.