Need to find your mojo? Try these tips from psychologist Honey Langcaster-James and feel more uplifted every day
1. Value yourself more
Sometimes we can be terrible self-critics, yet speaking to other people as harshly as we speak to ourselves would be unimaginable. Being relentlessly negative about yourself can take a huge toll on your wellbeing. But imagine how different your day would be if you paid yourself a compliment every time you were going to criticise yourself! If you make yourself a promise to think, and speak, more positively about yourself, you let everyone (yourself included) know that you are worth it. By making the decision to acknowledge all the great things about yourself, you could not only give your get-healthy plans a boost, but also inspire people around you.
2. Treat yourself
Stop seeing spoiling yourself as a luxury for special occasions (no, that doesn’t mean you can invest in a pair of Louboutins every week!). But even something as simple as taking time to really enjoy your cup of tea or sitting and painting your nails, counts. It’s all about taking the time to feel good, and saying, ‘I matter, and I’m doing this for me.’ Choose to put yourself first more often – even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time.
3. Start a positive journal
Develop a positive 'gratitude attitude' by writing down three things each evening that you can be thankful for about your day. Focus on the positives, no matter how small. It will help reframe your mindset, change your perception of your life and improve your overall mood. Also, be creative and make your journal visual. Stick in any clippings that make you smile, pictures of your loved ones, doodles, poems, and so on. Anything that makes you happy, which you can then turn to if you're ever feeling down.
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4. Get invigorated
For an easy fix, take a daily brisk walk or other form of light exercise. Also, make weekly arrangements to meet with friends, or join a mindfulness or yoga class, to ensure you have lots of social support and enough opportunity for relaxation, chatting and laughter. Having something fun to look forward to always helps uplift you.
5. Move past mistakes
Whether it’s losing weight, feeling more energetic or getting into a fitness habit, you’re more likely to succeed if you’re positive towards yourself. If you missed a single gym trip, it doesn’t mean that you’re lazy. Eating a couple of extra biscuits doesn’t mean you’re greedy. Acknowledge your mistakes and your flaws, but don’t beat yourself up – accepting them is the route to overcoming them.