A healthy mindset is a positive frame of mind that helps you cope with the difficulties in life and recognize and appreciate the good times in life. And mindset is very personal: it guides how you view and react to big-picture issues in our world and the everyday situations around you.
“I encourage patients to focus on their mindset as a way to manage the challenges they face in their daily lives,” says Michele Collins, MD, ABFM, a family medicine physician and associate director of the family medicine residency program at Saint Joseph Health System.
Every person faces difficult or stressful situations and some much more than others, but even mildly stressful situations can take your day off-track or put you in a negative state of mind. A healthy mindset helps you manage your emotions and remain calm in difficult or stressful situations, which can lead to healthier relationships with family, friends, and co-workers and stronger performance in your daily work and activities.
It is true that both our biological wiring and the experiences from our past can influence our perceptions and mindset – some people naturally worry more than others, and the level of anxiety people carry varies widely. But the opportunity to improve your well-being through a healthy mindset is present for every person.
“I encourage patients to ask themselves: is this thought process serving me or is it causing me pain,” says Dr. Collins. “If it’s causing pain, then let’s focus on it and explore the possibility of truth within another perspective.”
Dr. Collins offers the tools that can help you build a mindset that will work with you rather than against you as you walk through life.
Tools to Build a Healthy Mindset
Start with the premise that the people around you are doing the best they can. Of course, it may not aways be true that everyone is doing the best they can in each situation, but starting from a place of understanding and compassion for others is good for your own outlook and mental health.
This doesn’t mean expecting people to do the best you think they can or should do, but rather is about allowing them to be the best they believe they can be. Begin with the assumption that no one is trying to create harm for you. For some people, this alone can reorient their mindset to remove many potential negative thoughts and feelings.
Be more generous to yourself and to others in the small situations that happen throughout the day. This can allow you to walk away from situations or remain silent if that is the most productive response or to act more thoughtfully. Think about how the best version of yourself would act or react, without allowing negative or oppressive feelings to weigh you down. And then use your best thoughts to generate your actions.
“In my coaching with patients, we focus on modeling situations and being intentional about your thoughts in response,” says Dr. Collins. “Because your thoughts become your feelings, and your feelings guide your actions.”
In situations that trigger an angry, frustrated, or emotional response, begin by analyzing your initial reaction and then work to be more intentional about your thoughts. A healthy mindset is built in the small moments, when you focus on your thought process and react in a more positive or forgiving way toward yourself and others.
The Big Tenets to Maintain a Healthy Mindset
Dr. Collins also shares what she believes are the big tenets to help maintain a healthy mindset:
1. Be compassionate with yourself.
Find ways to be compassionate with yourself, and avoid shaming yourself when you fall short. Treat yourself and talk to yourself how you would talk to your best friend or child. Being kind to yourself is the foundation of a healthy mindset.
2. Go back to basics.
Be mindful of and make sure your bare needs are met. This means prioritizing sleep, to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Focus on eating well, with fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains prioritized in your diet. And get physical activity when and where you can each day, even if that activity is simply a short walk outdoors, taking the stairs, or a playful activity with your child, a friend, or pet.
3. Focus on progress.
Focus on the healthy habits and mindset you are working to sustain and about how you have improved over time. Try not to focus on what you haven’t attained in life, but rather appreciate and value progress and growth. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect or positive in your outlook all of the time, but rather look for the little moments of mindful practice each day.
Dr. Collins suggest that in moments when you’re facing a challenging situation, take a breath and ask yourself, “am I being kind to myself?” or “what if this person is doing the best they can?” Very simple practices like this can help you make the best of the situation.
“Maintaining a healthy mindset is a practice, that takes focus and repetition over time, but that can give tremendous rewards,” says Dr. Collins.
