Four mindset shifts that will transform your health
The Power of Mindset Shifts
There are many aspects to feeling nourished, but one aspect that often gets overlooked is the power of mindset. Mindset refers to the attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives you hold about the world around you, and unfortunately, so many women I know start their wellness journey with a disempowering mindset that keeps them from reaching their goals. For example, you might think that being healthy means giving up your favorite foods or forcing yourself to do workouts that you don’t enjoy. This causes you to feel discouraged when you can’t stick to that way of living, so you give up altogether. You think the problem was your lack of discipline, but it was actually just a limiting mindset. This is just one of the many ways our mindset can get in the way of our progress and keep us stuck.
The good news is, you have the power to choose a more empowering mindset in any given moment. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of mindset and I’ll share four mindset shifts that will transform your mental & physical health for the better.
Limiting Beliefs
Your mindset is a reflection of your deepest beliefs about yourself, other people, and the world around you. Many of these beliefs are subconscious, yet they influence every single action that you take in life. Some of our beliefs help us, while others keep us stuck - the latter are known as Limiting Beliefs. An example of a Limiting Belief could be that you didn’t do well in high school math class, so you have a Limiting Belief that you are bad at math, when in reality you just didn’t have the right teacher.
We all have limiting beliefs, and part of growing into a healthier, happier version of yourself is identifying the belief systems that are holding you back, and choosing new beliefs that will propel you towards your goals.
The most common limiting beliefs I hear when it comes to health are things like:
“Eating healthy is boring”
“I don’t have time”
“It runs in my family”
“I have more important things to do”
“It’s too hard”
But sometimes limiting beliefs can be a bit more complex and sneaky, such as…
“I’m an all or nothing type of person, so I’m either 100% in or 100% out on my goals”
“Once I take care of everyone else, then I can take care of myself”
“I have to do cardio because it burns the most calories”
“Being healthy means I can’t have the foods I love”
“I’m never going to change so what is the point of trying”
And so on.
I invite you to reflect on some of the beliefs you hold around health and wellness, and ask yourself if those beliefs are empowering you or keeping you stuck. I know for me, I used to think that there was only one way to be “healthy.” Now I know that there are so many ways to find a healthful life, and this simple shift in mindset made my wellness routine so much more fun and sustainable.
Positive Self Talk
The way you speak to yourself matters, and negative self talk can significantly impact your mental and physical health. A positive inner dialogue helps you cultivate a more hopeful outlook on life, see the silver linings in challenging situations, and reframe negative thoughts into more positive and constructive outcomes. By replacing self-criticism with self-love and self-compassion, you will not only be more productive and consistent towards your goals, but you will also reduce your stress levels, increase confidence, and build emotional resilience for life’s challenges.
To practice positive self talk, start by noticing when your “inner critic” shows up - in other words, the voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough, smart enough, that what you have to say isn’t valuable, etc. Notice if you start sentences with phrases like, “this might be stupid, but…” or if you engage in self deprecating jokes. It’s all good to laugh at ourselves sometimes, but there’s a fine line between laughing at ourselves and bullying ourselves.
Whenever you notice negative self talk, replace those thoughts with something more compassionate. Meditation and mindfulness practices can help a lot here!
Four mindset shifts that will transform your health
When it comes to my health and fitness routine, there are a few mindset shifts that have proven successful at pulling me out of a rut and helping me stay consistent with my goals. Whenever I’m feeling off, I reinforce these empowering beliefs in my head to help me get back to feeling my best.
A little bit is better than nothing at all. If you’re ever feeling unmotivated (which, by the way, happens to all of us) then this belief can make all the difference in your consistency and, therefore, your results. For example, if you have a goal to go to the gym everyday, but you’re really not feeling up to it today, you can commit to just a little bit. Maybe you commit to just 5 minutes on the treadmill, and if that’s all you do, it’s still better than nothing at all, because you got up and tried. This belief is so much more empowering than the common Limiting Belief of “If I don’t do it 100%, it’s not worth doing at all.”
Life is happening for me, not to me. When life gets really stressful or challenging, this mindset shift always helps me gain a little perspective. Instead of viewing a challenge as something that’s happening to you, you can choose to view it as something that’s happening for you and helping you grow. Every challenge or trial is an opportunity for growth, and sometimes transcending our greatest pain and getting to the other side can help us be the example for someone else.
If it’s possible for them, it’s possible for me. In the age of social media, it can be hard not to get caught up in comparison. Whenever you feel discouraged by someone else’s progress or success, remember that they once had their day 1, too. Every successful person was once a beginner just like you, and if it’s possible for them, it’s possible for you.
I do enough, I have enough, I am enough. I know hustle culture has convinced you that you need to excel at everything and constantly chase the next level, but this is an exhausting way to live. There’s so much power in deciding that you are enough as you are right now and enjoying the life that you have. It doesn’t mean you have to give up your goals, it just means that you’re choosing to enjoy the ride there. When you feel overwhelmed or burnt out, remind yourself that you do enough, you have enough, and you are enough.
If I can leave you with one thing, it’s that nurturing your mindset is a valuable investment with a high return. I invite you to watch what happens when you let go of limiting beliefs that no longer serve you, practice positive self-talk, and choose new beliefs that will get you closer to your goals - my guess is, your entire life will change for the better.
Remember that challenges and setbacks are inevitable, so you might as well choose the mindset and belief systems that will help you overcome challenges as quickly as possible. By harnessing the power of your mindset, you will be able to face life's trials with more resilience, adaptability and ease.
If you need help cultivating a growth mindset and reaching your health & wellness goals, you can book a call with me here.
