Over 20,000

That’s how many results you get when you search Amazon’s bookstore for “positive mindset.” So why are thousands of authors writing self-help books about achieving a positive mindset? Because they’re on to something. With the power of a positive mindset, you can overcome any obstacle. 

Here at Fitness Collective, we talk a great deal about what it means to have a positive mindset. Your mindset impacts every aspect of your life, including work, home life, relationships, and fitness routine. Think back to when you experienced a difficult event or task in your life that you had a negative attitude about - did it help? Probably not. There’s a good chance that your negative mindset added undue stress and anxiety or prevented you from overcoming that obstacle altogether. Similarly, I bet you can think of examples where you had a positive mindset in those situations - did it help? Absolutely. 

Learning how to redirect your thoughts towards a positive mindset is the greatest improvement you can bring to your life. Your fitness routine is a great place to practice various methods of achieving a positive mindset. Need motivation and mental support? The certified fitness trainers at Fitness Collective are here to help! 

What are the powers of a positive mindset?

Overcoming anxiety and depression: A positive mindset can help you conquer your thoughts and feelings. Not by suppressing them (that’s not healthy!), but by giving you a powerful tool to overcome the triggers that may cause negative thoughts and feelings - a process for overcoming negative feelings. 

Increased focus: When you have a positive outlook on a situation or completing a task, you’ll be much more excited and focused. A focused brain is more efficient at solving problems, overcoming barriers, and reduces the risk of mistakes that could bring even more frustration and negative feelings. 

Improved sleep: When you hit the sack full of stress, chances are you’re not getting restful sleep if you’re able to sleep at all. By redirecting yourself into a positive mindset, you can achieve more consistent, restful sleep. 

Free your mind: Cliche, right? Except it’s not. A positive mindset will, in fact, help free your mind. Avoid the stress of worrying about what people are thinking about you, overthinking that project that’s due, or the constant dread of all the things you need to get done. A positive mindset will help you turn off those constant negative thoughts so that you can enjoy the good in life too. 

Improve your fitness routine and results: It’s easy for thoughts like “I’ll work out tomorrow” or “I’ll focus on myself later” to sneak into your head. The power of a positive mindset is that it can help you self-motivate. It allows you to celebrate small victories, feel your results, and drive you to stick with your fitness routine. 

Live longer: Hey! Another cliche! But it’s true. By reducing your stress, improving your sleep, and focusing on your mental and physical health, you can increase your lifespan. We’re not doctors, but this is proven research. 

There’s a lot more, but if we were to list all the things you’ll benefit from with a positive mindset, we’d run out of time to give you the how.

Tips for achieving a positive mindset:

Start small: As with any significant shift, it’s best to start small. Identify areas you want to become more optimistic about, whether it’s work, life changes, relationships, your daily commute, or your fitness routine, and start by focusing on that specific area. Instead of managing your stress with a negative thought, try to think a positive that is coming out of the situation. 

Evaluate: Throughout your day, stop to evaluate your attitude. If you think negatively about what you’re doing, try redirecting your energy to positive thoughts. It’s ok to give yourself a mental pep talk throughout the day! 

Laugh: Not everybody likes lemonade, so it's okay to laugh about it when life gives you lemons. Allow yourself to laugh and smile throughout your day, especially when things get tough. Laughing is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, helping you achieve a positive mindset. 

Healthy lifestyle: At Fitness Collective, we have a motto, “Eat Clean. Move Well. Live Free.” When your body feels good, your mind feels good. By eating clean, you're providing your body and mind with the nutrients you need to thrive. When you’re getting at least 30-minutes of exercise on most days of the week, you’re moving well. And when you’re taking care of your body and mind, you can live free. Add getting enough sleep and learning techniques to manage your stress healthily, and you’re well on your way. Lucky for you, at Fitness Collective, we’re experts at helping with this one! 

Surround yourself with positivity: For many, this one can take work. It is important to surround yourself with positive, supportive people. These are the people you turn to for advice and feedback, so make sure that they’ve got your best interest in mind. Negative people will negatively affect your stress levels and may cause you to doubt yourself throughout your journey. Spend your time with the people whose outlook you admire. 

Positive self-talk:  That whole ‘do unto others as you would like others to do unto you’ that we heard all the time as kids? It applies to yourself as well. Treat yourself the way you want to be treated. Don’t dread something you’ve never done before; look at it as an opportunity to learn. Don’t avoid doing a task because it seems impossible; take a stab at it anyway. Don’t fear change; take a chance. Congratulate yourself, remind yourself that you are worthy of happiness, and hype yourself up for whatever task. You’ll thank yourself later. 

At this point, we know what you’re thinking: this seems hard and like a lot of work. Well, you’re right. Kind of. Achieving the power of a positive mindset does take work and dedication. It can seem like an overwhelming task, but if you approach it bit by bit, you will succeed. Nobody has the power to change your outlook as much as you do. Start small. Focus on you. Develop your support network. 

At Fitness Collective, we’re here to help with your journey. We have a full staff of certified trainers and nutritionists to help you improve your overall health and wellness. Our training methods use positive reinforcement techniques that you can learn to mimic in your own life. One of the most common things we hear from our members is how impactful the sense of community is in their lives. You're not in this alone. Together, we can achieve anything. 

Ready to focus on you? Sign up for a free trial today! 

*Fitness Collective is not a therapy or mental health provider. Our staff does not have the qualifications or expertise to practice psychology or social work. If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, negative thoughts, or anxiety/depression, please seek professional help. Remember, it’s ok not to be ok.