Although I am mostly focused on nutrition with my clients, I always focus some attention on lifestyle as well. And one of the things we can do to support our mental wellbeing is to ensure we are managing our mind and our thoughts in a healthy way. Here are some top tips which I do myself. The great thing is, these techniques don’t take any amount of extra time to do. You can do them while you are in the shower, walking the dog, or standing in the supermarket queue.
1. Notice Your Inner Voice
The first step to managing your mind is simply being more aware of your inner voice. Without passing judgement on yourself, notice if you are having regular negative thoughts or being overly critical of yourself. If you are, congratulate yourself for noticing and achieving the first step to better mind management.
2. Be Kind to Yourself
We are often our own worst critics. A good rule is to never speak to yourself in a way that you wouldn’t speak to a friend. Constructive criticism can be useful for learning; but try to focus on what you’ve done well too. At the end of each day, or after a challenging situation, take time to reflect on what you did well.
3. Mind Your Language
Studies show people who use more positive language live longer. Watch out for negative language in your thoughts or speech and if you catch yourself, change your language to something more positive. For example, if you notice yourself thinking “it’ll never work”, change this around to “I’ll try my best to make it work”.
4. Put a Positive Spin on Events
It is easy to think of stress as being something that happens to us; and we often talk of situations “being” stressful. In fact, a situation cannot be stressful; rather stress is caused by our reaction to a situation. When going through difficult times, ask yourself what you could do to change your situation; consider if there is anything that would make you feel more in control, however small. Feeling in control will help you feel less stressed. If there is nothing you can change about your situation, change your reaction to it. Ask yourself what positives you can take from it, what you can learn and how it can help you grow stronger. Scientists call this cognitive reappraisal; they found this is what allowed prisoners of war to survive prison camps; and it is what allows disabled people to become Paralympians for instance. This technique can be used on a daily basis by viewing day-to-day events in a positive light instead of focusing on the negatives.
5. Remember the Good Times
Studies have found we can increase our serotonin levels (our “happy hormone”) by recalling happy memories. When you are travelling to work, in the shower or stuck in a supermarket queue, make a mental list of 10 positive things that have happened recently, whether that day, week or month; and whether big or small. Perhaps attending a party or achieving an aim. Remind yourself how good the thing felt and the feelings of positivity rushing through your mind will help you feel more positive overall. This is also a great exercise to do if you wake up at night; positive thoughts will help you get back to sleep much more easily than negative thoughts.
6. Set a Daily Intention
If you wake up and think “this is going to be a terrible day”, the chances are it will be! Think about how you would like the day to turn out and set that as your intention. Say it out loud or better yet, write it down, to give it greater force. If you have a challenging day ahead of you, your intention might be “I am going to cope with today and not lose my temper”. You can also set an intention for any part of the day. For example, on your way home from work, try setting an intention to have a relaxing and enjoyable evening; setting an intention will help it to happen.
7. Be Kind to Others
According to the Dalai Lama, compassion is the root of happiness. And studies have found that hostility reduces life-expectancy while “agreeableness” protects our health. By putting others first, considering their feelings and points of view, we can improve our relationships. This reduces stress in our lives and helps us build circles of support. Practice being kind to everyone you meet, from family members to strangers in the street. Meanwhile if someone challenges you, see this as an opportunity for growth and to practice patience.
8. Visualise It Going Well
If you feel nervous about an upcoming situation that you perceive will be difficult, your subconscious mind will associate feelings of nerves with the situation, making you all the more nervous when the day comes. Instead, picture yourself doing well, feeling good about the situation, and others responding positively. Your subconscious mind will then associate these feelings with the situation, helping it to go the way you would like it to.
