Get Healthier With a Mental Reset

Making the decision to live healthier often involves important steps such as losing weight and exercising more. These are significant goals and everyday lifestyle habits that you should commit to. But there’s another type of “makeover” that can benefit you in equally important ways.

That’s changing your general outlook on life by boosting positivity. This mental tweak will put you in a better frame of mind to meet your physical goals. Here’s how to get started.

Look for ways to find more meaning in your life. You might not be able to change your job, but you might be able to take on work challenges that give you a stronger sense of purpose. If personal and professional commitments have you running in a million directions with none of them emotionally rewarding, reassess your obligations and pare back where you can. Prioritize the tasks that give you a stronger sense of accomplishment.

Next, identify what’s standing in the way of reaching your goals. It might not be complicated. Maybe you want to eat better and exercise more, but you don’t make the time to cook whole foods or go to the gym. Again, re-prioritize and take action to accomplish what’s important to you. Don’t use roadblocks as excuses to stay stuck.

And because people love instant gratification, give yourself a boost by picking a change you can achieve right away, suggest the experts at Berkeley Wellness. Ideas include meditating for a few minutes each day, clocking your steps on your smartphone or standing up for 2 minutes every hour at work. These are baby steps you can build on to ease stress, get more active and improve your health.

More information

The University of California, Berkeley, has more suggestions for quick steps to take for better health.