7 Signs It’s Time for a Mindset Change

Last Updated on August 22, 2023 by Tracey McGrath

Your mindset is super important for personal growth and self-acceptance. If your mindset tends to be a negative one then it might be time for a mindset change.

If you’re stuck in a fixed negative state of mind, it can be difficult to recognize when it’s time for a change. You could benefit from changing your mindset but you may not be able to notice the need for change quite yet. But the signs may be staring you right in the face.

Feel like that could be the case for you? Here are 7 signs that it’s time to create a mindset change. 

1. You only see negative things

Tend to put a strong focus on what’s wrong in your life and rarely (or never! ) acknowledge the good parts? This is a major sign that you’ll benefit from changing your mindset to a more positive one. This shift will help you to build better mental strength. 

As you probably know from personal experience, negative thinking paves the way for stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems. It also lowers your expectations if you’re constantly expecting the worst-case scenario to occur. 

2. You put yourself after everyone else

How are you doing when it comes to self-care and taking care of your own needs? Do you still feel that it’s selfish to focus on yourself rather than other people? This is another sign that it’s time to change your mindset. It’s time to make yourself a priority.

Putting yourself first sometimes is super important for your own health and wellbeing. This is especially important when it comes to things like sleep and healthy eating. Self-care also triggers a relaxation response, which can help to stop the stress response affecting your health.

Chronic stress and the inflammation it can trigger is a big factor in a lot of health issues. Self-care can be more crucial than you might think. Changing your mindset to make self-care a priority can be one of the best things you can do for your health. 

3. You blame yourself for everything

When things don’t go to plan, do you usually put the blame solely on yourself and refuse to recognize that other factors may be involved too? Excessive self-blame is linked to mental health problems, including depression. It’s also something that holds you back from being able to see a “mistake” as a learning opportunity. We learn and grow the most from our “mistakes” and “failures”. 

Instead of blaming yourself, try recognizing that it’s time to shift your mindset. Look towards self-acceptance and self-forgiveness instead. We all make mistakes. A mindset that accepts this and looks for ways to learn creates a positive outlook.

“We learn from failure, not from success!”

–Bram Stoker

4. You worry (all the time)

Everyone worries now and again but if your worries are consuming you, you’ll definitely benefit from a mindset change. 

A negative and anxious mindset can be exhausting. And it’s also very unproductive. A lot of the time, you’re worrying about things that will never happen or that you can’t change. It’s literally wasted energy.

Finding ways to stop worrying about things you have no control over is super important for a more positive mindset. And for the things, you might be able to change? Focus on what you could do to make that happen. 

If you focus on what’s good in life, you’ll feel better. You can do this by focusing on the positive aspects of your life, such as your relationships with family and friends, your career, and your hobbies.

And check out my article on How to be a Positive Thinker for more tips! And grab a FREE guide on Thinking Positive in 3 simple steps!

5. Your expectations stress you out 

If you’re expecting things to happen without the right mindset, it’s usually going to end in frustration and disappointment. This is particularly true when it comes to happiness. We often expect happiness to just happen to us. Expectations about who you should be and what other people expect from you can also be super stressful. 

Shifting your mindset to recognize that your expectations start with you can be a game changer. It helps you to feel that you have control over them. Experts have suggested that lowering your expectations can be a secret weapon on the road to happiness. 

6. Your routines have changed

Have you noticed a shift in your sleep, appetite, and mood lately? If this isn’t for the better, it’s another sign that your mindset could use a change. 

A negative mindset can have a huge effect on your health. Negative changes in your routines are determined by your mindset. Negative thought patterns can affect your sleep patterns and mood.

Check out my article on Resetting Your Sleep Cycle for tips on how to improve your sleep. And read more about creating your Healthiest Habits to create a routine that sets you up for habit success!

7. You feel your priorities/values aren’t matching your life

Take a few moments to think about your biggest priorities in life. Maybe these focus on your health, happiness or family, for example.

Now think about whether your life is really helping you to work towards your priorities. Were you surprised to recognize that your priorities and values don’t fit too well with how you’re living your life?

It’s simply another sign that you’re in the right position to change your mindset! You can bring your life in line with your values with just a few tweaks of the mindset.

It’s easy to think about the past, but thinking about the future will help you achieve more in life. By thinking about what you want to accomplish in the next year, month, week, day, or even hour, you’ll be able to make progress towards achieving those goals.

P.S. If you’d like daily tips on mindfulness and gratitude follow me on Instagram here or Facebook here!