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To celebrate “National Wellness Month” (which happens annually in August), Inspirations & Celebrations will be publishing a series of wellness-focused guides this month, designed to inspire you to proactively care for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. This won’t be about radical overhauls or major routine changes, but rather, small steps that, over time, will have a big impact on your state of being.

To kickstart this month’s wellness series, today’s personal growth guide focuses on mental well-being, as your mind has the power to transform you at the core – either positively or negatively. So, it’s essential to choose thoughts, behaviors, and actions that enhance, elevate, and benefit your mental state if you want to improve your life.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

Step 1: Start your morning with a mindful routine that quiets the mind.

From the moment you wake up until when you go to sleep, your mind is busy churning out thoughts and opinions on everything.

Deciding what to do that day, planning tasks that need to get done, checking emails or social media, and writing to-do lists are four common activities that the typical person does each morning. If that describes your morning routine, that means your mind is on a constant treadmill of activity all day long, starting from the moment you rise out of bed.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

While productivity is a good thing (especially if want to accomplish anything), that type of repetitive morning routine isn’t always helpful, as it can lead to mental burnout and physical exhaustion. Interestingly enough, as more studies are showing, the art of how you engage your mind first thing in the morning is one of the keys to developing a healthier mindset and mental routine.

Instead of treating it like a robot that you turn on with a remote control, think of your mind as a garden – fertile, alive, and always in a state of growth and change. Starting your morning with a mindful routine that quiets the mind (or at least doesn’t allow your thoughts to dictate your feelings or actions), is one of the best things you can do to improve your mental well-being.

After 5-15 minutes of mindfulness each morning, you’ll notice that throughout the day you’ll experience calmer thoughts, a sense of feeling grounded, and even a renewed outlook.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

Not only will you start to have insightful breakthroughs and illuminating epiphanies (because your mind is not caught up in the “day-to-day” just yet), but you’ll also be able to supercharge your productivity efforts, by leading you to accelerate your goals through these lightbulb moments. In addition to slowing down your mind enough to allow new ideas to come to you, you’ll also be doing an internal reset – similar to how you reset electronics when they don’t function properly.

This reset process helps you gain clarity, direction, and a sense of higher purpose, which in turn positively influences your mental state of being.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

Step 2: Choose your words wisely. They have more power over your thoughts and feelings than you might realize.

After recently watching the popular Disney & Pixar movie “Inside Out 2”, it got me thinking about how our belief systems really develop. We often get into habits of saying phrases repeatedly, either internally (as our inner dialogue), or externally to people around us. But how often are we truly paying attention to the words and phrases we say over and over again?!

The truth is that words play a bigger role in our mental health and emotional well-being than most people realize. Not only do words carry a vibrational frequency (which is a whole other conversation, and we won’t go down that rabbit hole right now), but even on the simplest level – words influence our state of mind, and have a massive impact on other people too.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

Think about it. If you hear someone repeatedly say “That’s out of my league” or “I’ll never…(fill in the blank)”, they’re sending an unconscious message (whether they realize it or not) that they think something is unattainable for them, for whatever reason. Even successful and accomplished people chronically set mental limitations for themselves, especially regarding things like money, love, or life experiences. Words are potent, either positively or negatively, as they influence our perception of ourselves, our lives, and even our potential.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

The bottom line is this – we all develop belief systems, which can either help or hinder us in life. These belief systems can either stem from an internal dialogue (where we simply repeat a phrase enough times to believe it), or it comes from an external influence (such as the words our parents, friends, or peers repeated). Either way, the reality is that words impact all of us. Because of this, it behooves us to become more consciously aware of the words and phrases we allow ourselves to repeatedly say, either internally or out loud.

The good news is – we have the power to choose our words. So, if you catch yourself saying something that doesn’t improve your life or your mindset, change it and set a new course.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

Step 3: Adopt the mindset that happiness is a choice. You’ll improve your mental health while feeling more joyful.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Happiness is an inside job”, it’s true. Happiness is found (or better yet, created) within us, and is not derived from external sources. While we often look outside of ourselves to find happiness, the truth is – we have to choose it, create it, and nurture it. So, when they say happiness doesn’t cost a thing, that’s true.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

The good news is, we can learn how to naturally boost the 4 happiness chemicals in our brain and body. The happiness hormones are dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, and serotonin. An easy way to remember those four hormones is D.O.E.S. – as in, your mind does what you tell it to do. Below are simple hacks to boost each chemical naturally.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

How To Boost Dopamine: The Reward Chemical

As explained by WebMD, “Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter. Your body makes it, and your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. That’s why it’s sometimes called a chemical messenger. Dopamine plays a role in how we feel pleasure. It’s a big part of our unique human ability to think and plan.”

Here are a few ways to naturally boost dopamine in your body:

  • Finish a task
  • Celebrate small wins
  • Do self-care activities
  • Do exercise and athletic activities
  • Listen to music you enjoy
  • Focus on appreciation

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

How To Boost Oxytocin: The Love & Bonding Chemical

As explained by Psychology Today, “Oxytocin has been called “the cuddle hormone” or “the love hormone” due to its association with pair bonding. It appears to help reinforce the early attachment between mothers and their infants, as well as the bonds between romantic partners. There is also evidence that increases in oxytocin may encourage prosocial behavior, though not all studies have found these positive results, and some experts have undercut the idea that the hormone is a trust molecule.”

Here are a few easy ways to boost oxytocin in your body:

  • Foster healthy relationships
  • Hug family or friends
  • Play with a pet
  • Help other people
  • Hold hands and cuddle

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

How To Boost Endorphins: The Pain Killer

As explained by Heathline.com, “Endorphins are polypeptides made by the pituitary gland and central nervous system. Endorphins primarily help one deal with stress and reduce feelings of pain. The pleasure effect associated with endorphins is in part related to the increased dopamine production that occurs due to endorphin activity.”

To help you boost endorphin levels in your body, here are a few easy (and enjoyable) things you can do:

  • Laugh
  • Dance
  • Eat (or drink) dark chocolate
  • Meditate
  • Use vanilla or lavender essential oil

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness

How To Boost Serotonin: The Mood Stabilizer

As explained by Medical News Today, “Serotonin is used to transmit messages between nerve cells, it is thought to be active in constricting smooth muscles, and it contributes to wellbeing and happiness, among other things. Serotonin is a chemical that has a wide variety of functions in the human body. It is sometimes called the happy chemical because it contributes to wellbeing and happiness. It appears to play a key role in maintaining mood balance. Low serotonin levels have been linked to depression.”

Here are a few ways you can naturally boost serotonin in your body:

    • Meditate
    • Practice yoga
    • Do deep breathing exercises
    • Run
    • Get sun exposure
    • Eat oatmeal and bananas

For more inspiring ideas and advice from leading experts (including notable psychologists and renowned motivational coaches) to help you elevate your life and become your best self, check out the Personal Growth section on Inspirations & Celebrations.

3 Simple Ways To Boost Your Mental Wellbeing Through Mindfulness


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