How do I change my state of mind?

Human emotions are one of the great gifts of life. Nothing in the history of humanity has had such an impact on world events. Emotions have started wars and ended them. Emotions cause people to do crazy things and they bring ultimate fulfillment. In all their power, it’s easy to think that human emotions are beyond our control – but they aren’t.

If you’re wondering “Can I change my state of mind?,” the answer is yes. You get to choose how you interact with the world and the meaning you assign to your experiences. You can choose your state of mind. You can choose to shift to an empowered state. You can learn how to change your mood.

What is my state of mind?

“State of mind” is defined as the quality of one’s consciousness as it relates to the outside world, as well as the perception of inner thoughts and emotions. It includes your mood and your mental state at a certain point in time. Depressed, anxious, rational, critical and engaged are all examples of states of mind. You can even be in more than one state of mind at a time.

Before you can answer the question, “How do I change my state of mind?,” you need to know how it’s different from mood. Your mood is fleeting. If someone cuts you off in traffic, you may feel angry. Or if you read a sad news story, you may feel depressed. Even if you then go through the entire day feeling that way, it’s still just a bad mood. Your state of mind is on a higher level of consciousness – and you have control over both. When you’re in control of your state of mind, you’re the master of your emotions and you understand that life is happening for you, not to you. When you change your mood, you change your life.

“The difference between peak performance and poor performance is not intelligence or ability; most often it’s the state that your mind and body is in.” —Tony Robbins

What affects my state of mind?

Like anything related to human emotion, your mood and mindset are complex. Yet also like anything else in life, the number one thing that affects your state of mind is your focus. What do you choose to focus on? Your mind is trained to look for the bad – to fight or flight, as it’s been doing for two million years. But you can retrain it to look for the good.

Taking care of your body is also essential to your mood, especially these five factors.

Diet

You wouldn’t put the wrong fuel into your car, and the same goes for your body. What you feed your body also feeds your mind, so be sure you’re eating healthy and drinking plenty of water.

Exercise

Even mild exercise like walking is proven to help with depression and anxiety, releasing endorphins that make us feel happy.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep allows the body and mind to recover and repair itself. It’s critical to memory and brain function, hormone regulation and more.

Sunlight

Like exercise, getting enough sunlight has been shown to decrease depression by helping to release serotonin, the “happiness chemical” that increases feelings of well-being.

Stress

There are also negative chemicals, and our brain produces a lot of them when we are stressed. Even if we don’t feel it outright, stress causes lack of focus, depression and anxiety and can impact everyone around you.

How do I change my state of mind?

When was the last time you were in a bad mood? How did being in that state affect other parts of your life? We often feel like our emotions are beyond our control, but that’s entirely untrue. In reality, you can learn how to change your mood – and do so in an instant.

1. Examine your limiting beliefs

Instead of asking “How can I change my state of mind?,” many people think they have to live with whatever mood they’re in. They buy into the limiting belief that they are prone to unhappiness or anxiety or that they can only be in a good mood when the outside world is moving as they want it to. The key to unlocking an extraordinary life has nothing to do with outside people or events. You must examine your limiting beliefs – are they positive or destructive? Identify any destructive beliefs about your ability to control your emotions and replace them with empowering ones.

2. Change your inner monologue

Your limiting beliefs affect your inner monologue and those thoughts create your world. Yet many people never stop to question their inner critic and turn them into a friend instead of a foe. Next time you catch yourself in negative self-talk, imagine that you are your own best friend – would you talk to your friends the way your inner critic talks to you? Think of something positive instead. You’ll not only discover how to improve mood, you’ll change your entire outlook on life.

3. Adjust your posture

Observe your posture when you are happy, as opposed to when you are sad – or what you look like when you are angry versus when you are elated. There’s a difference, right? We all get in negative psychological and emotional states, but you can transform your state of mind by changing your body and getting in state. Your body language sends signals to your brain about how you’re feeling and operating. If you have poor posture, it only lends itself to poor emotions or a negative state. Good posture and alertness produce a more positive state and are key to how to change your mood.

4. Smile

Just like changing your posture, smiling sends positive signals to your brain. It can even trick your mind into thinking you’re feeling better than you actually are. Smile at yourself in the mirror or make eye contact with the people around you. Not in the mood? Watch a funny video, look at old pictures or put on your favorite song. There’s always something that will bring a smile to your face. Eventually, you’ll master how to improve mood and mindset.

5. Move your body

How do you transform your state of mind, even when you’re dealing with immense stress? The secret is in moving your body. Emotion is created by motion. In other words, emotions are linked to movement in our bodies. While you’re listening to that favorite song that makes you smile, dance around. Go for a walk outside – green space is proven to be relaxing. Get your heart rate up with exercise, a natural mood enhancer. Moving your body releases all that stress and elevates your state of mind.

6. Create empowering rituals

Some of the world’s most successful people have likely wondered, “How do I change my state of mind?” Many of those people have one thing in common: they’ve created an empowering routine that helps them stay in a positive state. Start your morning right with a positive, energy-providing breakfast. Practice priming or meditation to set the tone for your day. Exercise, have fun and practice gratitude. Life is meant to be lived – not agonized over.

7. Adopt an abundance mindset

True freedom comes when you accept every moment for what it is instead of needing to control everything and make it adhere to your expectations. Expectations are dangerous for just that reason: if they’re not met, your state of mind deteriorates and you take it out on yourself or others. When you take responsibility for your lifestyle, feelings and actions, you have true freedom. When you understand that freedom is a state of mind and that the secret to achieving it is adopting an abundance mindset, you can change your mood, change your life.