4 mindset changes that will help you create more joy
Two of my favourite things to chat about here on the blog are mindset and joy, and so today I thought I’d combine the two and share 5 mindset changes that will help you create more joy.
These exercises or attitude hacks will help you to look on the bright side, build your confidence and invite more joy into your life - let me know if you try any of them out!
1) Think about what could go right
As humans we are inclined to think about what could go wrong - it’s an instinct that helped us evolve and survive for all those thousands of years. But sometimes thinking about what could go wrong is the least productive thing we could do - it simply fills us with fear and anxiety that gets in the way of us taking any action.
Instead, why not try thinking about what could go right? Why not try visualising success? Why not try thinking about how your life would look if you made the change and everything worked out perfectly? Approaching change or action with this mindset will help you to spot more opportunities and open yourself up for more success and joy.
2) Practice gratitude regularly
If you’ve been hanging out around here for any length of time then you’ll have heard me banging on about gratitude plenty of times before, but there’s a good reason for that. Research has proven that gratitude and joy are intrinsically linked, meaning that it’s not possible to live a joyful life without also feeling grateful.
So get out a notebook or open the notes app on your phone and make a big old list of everything that you’re grateful for. Include everything from the roof over your head and the people you have in your life, right down to the tea you’re drinking or the book you’re enjoying at the moment. The more regularly you do this, the more you’ll realise how joyful your life already is.
3) Celebrate your achievements
Hands up if you’re guilty of spending ages working towards a goal, only to swiftly move on to the next thing on the to do list as soon as you’ve achieved it? You can’t see me right now, but know that I have both hands raised firmly in the air. In our busy world, it’s so easy to rush from one goal to the next without ever slowing down and reflecting on our achievements, but taking some time out to celebrate is a sure fire way to create more joy.
It doesn’t matter how you celebrate (I’m a big fan of popping the fizz, treating myself to a soak in the tub with a fancy bath or bomb, or even simply just writing it all down in my achievement log), but acknowledging your achievements and feeling proud of yourself can make a huge difference to your mood and confidence.
4) Act “as if”
This is one of my favourite tips to share with my clients, and it’s an exercise I use personally a lot too. Start by thinking about how your life would look if you had achieved all of your goals and dreams. If you had your dream job and your dream relationship and your dream level of income. Think about how you would spend your days - what would your morning routine be like? What sort of work would you be doing? Who would you spend your time with?
Then make a list of ways you can act “as if” that is already your current reality. For example, I would love to own a bigger house one day. I’d love to have enough space to throw fun parties, and I dream of having enough space to host Christmas dinner one day. That isn’t my reality just yet, but I can act “as if” by hosting small dinner parties at our current home. Not only does this remind me that I already have the autonomy to do so many of the things I love, it also helps me to strengthen the vision of the future I’m working towards, which brings me so much joy.
What do you think of these mindset changes? Will you be giving any of them a go?
