When we think about beauty, we often start with our external appearance. But staying fit, healthy, and beautiful has a lot to do with how our heads are doing.
A 2018 study published in the journal Brain Science found that your mindset directly affects how motivated you are to follow through with your goals. If you want to exercise more regularly, commit to a consistent skincare routine, change your diet or drink more water every day — all of which help to cultivate a gorgeous natural glow — then you’ve got to start with the way you think.
The key is to have a growth mindset, rather than a fixed mindset. When you’re working from a growth mindset you have a tendency to believe that you’re capable of change; that you are able to achieve your goals, and that failure is in fact an opportunity to learn more.
So, here are five tips to help you cultivate a growth mindset and feel more positive every day.
1. Exercise.
We all know that exercise is good for us, and it really must be top of any list of positive mindset tips. Exercise releases hormones into your body that make you feel energised and light, and produces brain chemicals that make you feel happy and motivated. Moving your body interrupts low moods and promotes positive emotions — and it increases confidence, too.
2. Journal positive affirmations.
Commit to writing in a journal for just five minutes a day. Instead of writing down your complaints, use this as your opportunity to focus on your positive intentions. Write down your goals as if you’ve already achieved them; for example, if one of your goals is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, you might write “I eat nourishing, delicious food every day that supports my health and makes my skin glow.”
3. Make gratitude a fixture in your day.
Set up a system to ensure you practice gratitude at least once a day. You can do this on your own or with your family; it’s a wonderful thing to do with kids! For example, you might start a gratitude jar, and write down one thing you’re grateful for every day. Put that piece of paper in the jar, and then when you need a reminder of the good things in life, pick out some of your notes and read them to yourself.
4. Learn a new skill.
Learning something new feels good. It’s not just an illusion; learning new skills actually creates new neural pathways in your brain, and teaches you that change is possible. This is great when it comes to creating a growth mindset! Choose something you’re interested in, or you've always wanted to try. It doesn’t matter what it is; just get out there, try a class or start practicing on your own.
5. Reconnect with a friend.
We all have those people in our lives who we love but never seem to find the time to chat with. Call up a friend, or even an acquaintance who you have warm feelings towards, and arrange a coffee date or spa appointment. As humans, we’re wired to thrive on social connection, and caring for our friendships inspires hope and positivity in our minds.
You deserve to feel good, so take the time to care for your mind!