Your mind works in mysterious yet powerful ways.

I know all too well that it doesn’t seem easy (or even possible) to change your mind on things.

Whether that’s when you’re feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed with negative thoughts, or you just don’t feel too great about yourself.

The good news is it’s not too difficult to develop a growth mindset.

Develop A Growth Mindset To Strengthen Your Confidence

You’ve probably heard the term “you are a product of your thoughts”, and while there is some truth to this I also think it’s placing blame on the way you think.

People will often tell you to just get over it, stop being sad, and just be happy, or why can’t you stop worrying so much? And some of these people may just tell you to change the way you think, and you will feel better.

But, that’s now how it works. Whatever thought trap you are in right now is brought on by way more than just the thoughts in your head.

It’s based on the experiences you’ve gone through, what your brain has been exposed to, and how you have been taught to handle these experiences.

And while something like anxiety or depression is not to be taken lightly, there are things you can do to work on feeling better.

I’ve learned this through my own experience. I’ve had both anxiety and depression for years. Sometimes I felt so awful that I would sit on my couch and play video games for days, ordering takeout and ignoring anything from the outside world.

It’s about creating new habits and changing your behavior. A growth mindset means being open-minded and allowing yourself to learn. Even when you make mistakes.

Your brain is on auto-pilot like 80% of the time. Especially during the week. Think about your schedule, how you wake up at the same time, go to work, drive home, and have your evening routine. All of these things are done without much thought.

It’s partly what makes eating healthy and getting into a workout routine more difficult. You have to combat the engrained habits consciously until the habit of thinking positively, eating more veggies, and working out becomes sub-conscious.

Your thoughts, actions, responses, and future are all affected by the mind. Transforming your mind might seem like something magical, but it is very doable.

Here are some tips to develop a growth mindset so you can have a happier, more focused, and enlightened mind.

Be open to changing your mind

I think there’s a difference between wanting to change how you think and actually doing it.

In order to develop a growth mindset, it takes effort, time, and work. If you don’t want to put in the work badly enough you will just fall back into your old mindset.

So, first, think about why you want to change your mind.

This is going to be the biggest step for you, and the most important one. You need to envision how you actually want to feel. Because just deciding on a whim to change won’t last very long.

Think about “Why do I actually want to do this?” I remember when I was depressed nearly every single day. The first thing that goes through your mind when you’re depressed is the motivation to do anything. So, I had no reason to feel better.

I was convinced I would never feel better.

But, one day I broke down and cried for the 15th time within a short amount of time. I was so sad and unhappy. Nothing mattered. And I realized at that moment that I was in a deep depression.

And I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t ever care enough to feel better. But, I just had to try. I had to be open to this idea of change even if I didn’t see anything in that moment.

So even if you’re feeling down and upset, I encourage you to work on this. Think about what does or used to make you happy. What lights that spark inside you? And work towards that.

Be in love, not just with someone else but with yourself and your life.

Happiness comes and goes. If your goal is to be content and happy all of the time, it’s not a very realistic goal. Life is full of great moments, as well as challenging moments.

The key to developing a growth mindset is being aware of these challenges, and allowing them into your life. You don’t need to avoid the hard times, you just have to allow them to be there.

To set an expectation of yourself to just feel amazing all the time is setting yourself up for failure. It’s also not giving you the credit you deserve.

Identify the moments when you’re struggling and don’t try to change it. Work on caring about yourself and going easy during the tough moments.

If you want to feel happier and more positive, focus on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up and try not to set crazy expectations.

Just say “I’m doing the best I can.” And take a break. Take baby steps and continue to move forward.

Take time to do what makes you happy

A lot of times, we can get stuck in the rut of day-to-day life, working dead-end jobs that have no real meaning and value to our lives.

Just getting by won’t transform your mind or outlook on life.

Live your passion! Strive to perfect your daily life and open up your mind to possibilities outside of your comfort zone.

Showing yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to is one of the best ways to transform your mind, forever. It builds up trust within yourself and gives you more confidence to go after the things you want.

Related: How to Build Self-Worth & Start Believing in Yourself Again

Eat organic brain food- vegetables and fruits

Feeding your brain the purest and highest quality foods will give you the greatest advantage.

Chemicals in non-organic foods play a big role in the hormones associated with our feelings.

Too many hormones/pesticides in our foods can cause an imbalance in our own bodies, which will make balancing our minds difficult. Eliminate those pesticides and hormones. Your body, mind, and soul will thank you.

Transforming your mind isn’t magic. It’s all about transforming yourself, your level of happiness, and your drive in this world. You can do this!