Take Control of Your Life by Making These 3 Changes - Dorothy Watson
Everyone faces unique challenges in their lives, and the way one deals with them has a direct impact on their mental and physical health. While it's common to feel that things won’t change regardless of what you do, by making small but consistent changes things can turn around.
This article by Basic Counseling Skills takes you through three simple changes to make to your routine starting today, which will lead to you feeling happier and improve your wellbeing.
Stop Being Negative
Do you feel like bad things always happen to you? Or does even the slightest of inconveniences lead to a flood of negative thoughts? Sounds like you have a habit of negative thinking. Having such thoughts constantly can impact your mental health, reduce motivation and productivity at work.
Having negative thoughts is normal, however, it’s important to put things in perspective and work towards overcoming them. Here are a few ways to do just that:
As reported by HealthyPlace, an effective way to focus on the positive is to write it down. Each night list down five positive things about your day or something you are grateful for. These can be small things such as having a good lunch or meeting your deadlines. When you are facing negative thoughts, reading your journal can help you gain perspective and feel better.
Stop Restricting Yourself
Restricting yourself from doing things you may want to do based on other people’s opinions will make you feel unhappy and stressed. This could be exercising in public, starting a business, or even being friends with someone.
It’s better to try new things than be in the same rut that makes you stressed. Make a list of all the things you want to try or explore, such as starting a gym routine or launching your business.
If you haven’t tried it before, counseling can be a very therapeutic method of working through emotional issues, and it can help you create a toolkit to navigate mental health disorders like anxiety or depression.
Stop Living Your Life Indoors
According to research, most Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors. This staggering statistic should make you rethink how you spend your time. Being indoors equates to spending more time in front of screens, whether it is your mobile, laptop, or television. Blue light emitted from these screens results in eye strain, headaches, and problems with your sleep cycle.
Make it a point to spend at least 10-30 minutes outdoors daily. This can include a walk in your neighborhood, visiting the local park, or practicing gardening. Additionally, you can plan periodic outdoor trips such as trekking, rafting, mountain climbing, and more.
In addition to a much-needed change in scenery, going outdoors provides you the following benefits:
By consistently practicing these three steps you will realize a positive change in your well-being. By feeling your best, you'll be able to tackle challenges with ease and live to your fullest potential.
Image Source: Pexels
This article by Basic Counseling Skills takes you through three simple changes to make to your routine starting today, which will lead to you feeling happier and improve your wellbeing.
Stop Being Negative
Do you feel like bad things always happen to you? Or does even the slightest of inconveniences lead to a flood of negative thoughts? Sounds like you have a habit of negative thinking. Having such thoughts constantly can impact your mental health, reduce motivation and productivity at work.
Having negative thoughts is normal, however, it’s important to put things in perspective and work towards overcoming them. Here are a few ways to do just that:
- Start your day with a positive thought. This can be something as simple as – today will be a great day. It’s okay even if you don’t believe it, the aim is to condition yourself to begin the day on a good note.
- Encourage yourself to focus on the positive side of things. This reduces stress and helps gain clarity of thought while handling stressful situations.
- Avoid dwelling on the past. Understandably, certain instances will have an impact on you, but it’s important to work towards accepting them rather than thinking about the what-ifs. You cannot change the past; however, you are in control of your present.
- Facing your fears will help overcome uncertainties leading to stress. Whether it’s switching jobs or meeting new people, gather the courage to face it and you are sure to feel better once it is over. In fact, if a new job is in order, having your resume professionally updated makes it easier to take the leap.
As reported by HealthyPlace, an effective way to focus on the positive is to write it down. Each night list down five positive things about your day or something you are grateful for. These can be small things such as having a good lunch or meeting your deadlines. When you are facing negative thoughts, reading your journal can help you gain perspective and feel better.
Stop Restricting Yourself
Restricting yourself from doing things you may want to do based on other people’s opinions will make you feel unhappy and stressed. This could be exercising in public, starting a business, or even being friends with someone.
It’s better to try new things than be in the same rut that makes you stressed. Make a list of all the things you want to try or explore, such as starting a gym routine or launching your business.
If you haven’t tried it before, counseling can be a very therapeutic method of working through emotional issues, and it can help you create a toolkit to navigate mental health disorders like anxiety or depression.
Stop Living Your Life Indoors
According to research, most Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors. This staggering statistic should make you rethink how you spend your time. Being indoors equates to spending more time in front of screens, whether it is your mobile, laptop, or television. Blue light emitted from these screens results in eye strain, headaches, and problems with your sleep cycle.
Make it a point to spend at least 10-30 minutes outdoors daily. This can include a walk in your neighborhood, visiting the local park, or practicing gardening. Additionally, you can plan periodic outdoor trips such as trekking, rafting, mountain climbing, and more.
In addition to a much-needed change in scenery, going outdoors provides you the following benefits:
- Decrease in heart rate leading to a reduction in mental and physical stress
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Increase in cortisol levels making you feel happier
- Boost in creativity and mindfulness
- Improved immune response due to increase in Vitamin D levels from being in sunlight
By consistently practicing these three steps you will realize a positive change in your well-being. By feeling your best, you'll be able to tackle challenges with ease and live to your fullest potential.
Image Source: Pexels
