Top 3 Habits For a Healthy Mindset
Over the last 2 years I, like many people, have had a change in lifestyle and a shift in perspective and mindset. These are a few habits I have formed that I have found consistently give me more peace and a healthy mindset throughout my day.
1. Journaling
If you’ve followed me for a while you know I've mentioned The Artist's Way so many times over the last year. This is how I got into journaling. I was never one to have a diary or write down my thoughts or goals, never mind doing that daily. But while reading The Artist's Way a huge part of the process in the book is writing your morning pages. In the first week of the 12 weeks of the book, Julia Cameron tells you right off the bat to write three handwritten pages of whatever is on your mind every morning. This is the first task and I was definitely not a natural. My coach, Brielle Calloway, who recommended the book suggested I use a timer and try to write for 6 minutes and see what happens. So I tried it and I can't believe how well that little timer worked. It's only 6 minutes I would tell myself - how hard can it be? This timer trick has been so useful to me months later (as I am writing this blog post now I have a timer going). I worked my way up to 12 minutes and eventually I didn't need the timer and I was just writing three pages easily.
Part of the benefit is simply the process. The process of writing and checking in with yourself in the morning before the world has your attention is so powerful. I started my morning pages in June 2021 and it's now March 2022 and I have been consistently writing each morning for 10 months now! I honestly can't believe it and the effect it has. I notice if I'm traveling and don't have enough time to write I feel a bit more frazzled and rushed throughout the day. I usually start with writing down 3 things I'm grateful for and then I journal about whatever is on my mind. It's become a place where I can slow down and really reflect on my life, what I want, and what I'm doing daily. I am currently reading Super Attractor by Gabby Bernstein and there are journaling exercises that I probably would never have done if I read the book without having a practice of getting my thoughts out and not being scared to write things down.
2. The ThinkUp App
Now this app is a game changer - again another recommendation from Brielle (she's the best). It's basically an app where you can record yourself speaking affirmations and then play them back as almost a meditation, but in your own voice!
There are varying studies on the actual number of thoughts we have per day (from 6,200 to 60,000) but either way it's a lot! Of the thousands of thoughts we have each day, 90% of them are the same as the day before and the majority of those thoughts are negative. Yikes. It can be hard to separate your thoughts from reality. I remember having my mind blown listening to a podcast that simply said that just because you have a thought doesn’t mean it’s the truth. It takes effort to change your perspective and develop new thought patterns and stories we tell ourselves. Enter the ThinkUp App.
I started out not really using it because as with anything habits take time to develop. I listened at night before I went to sleep to ease in, which was relaxing and it put me in a calm head space. More recently however, I began to add more affirmations and group them into categories (morning, self, career, abundance) and started listening while I am writing or reading in the morning. There are a bunch of recommended affirmations in the app if you need a little inspiration but it's amazing how hearing your own voice say something like “I am energized and inspired” or “everything is always working out for me” really helps you to believe it. I don't mean to over-sell the app or say that it's only this app that’s helping, but for me, I have honestly noticed myself thinking negative thoughts - say first thing in the morning when I'm not quite awake yet and then almost subconsciously replacing the thought with a positive one. It’s wild.
3. Limit Screen Time
I am an empath and very affected by the energy of other people and what they may be experiencing even if that is viewed through a screen. So for me, it just made sense to limit the time I would look at my phone and open myself up to external stimuli. I definitely feel better when I limit what I'm allowing myself to consume and when.
So that means no phone in the morning until after my morning routine. Jay Shetty speaks to this in saying something like you wouldn't allow 100 of your friends or co-workers into your bedroom in the morning so why would you open your email or social media while still horizontal. Side note: I just ordered his new book and I'm so excited to read it. AND, I just listened to this podcast with Jay and Imran Amed from the Business of Fashion and it was so beautiful - definitely recommend.
At night, I try to put my phone away and not open social media or watch TV an hour or two before I go to sleep. I'm not always great at this but I definitely sleep better when I give myself some time to transition and am not attached to my phone or watching Ozark minutes before I try to sleep.
These are a few habits that have had a positive impact on me and my mental health over the last year. Do you have any habits you’ve formed recently that have had an impact on you?
Please share below!
Thank you so much for reading.
Rachel x
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