Good Vibes Only: A positive mindset this spring

​The winter blues are a real thing. Many people experience a slump in their mood over the long winter season, and feel themselves breathe deeply with relief when spring finally arrives at our door. Spring intrinsically brings a sense of renewal -- new energy, a clean slate and budding opportunities. The sunlight has a different quality, the days are longer and, once the rain washes away the drab and dirt of winter, colors are saturated and the air is crisp.

It sometimes takes me a bit to truly get into the rhythm of spring, to feel lighter both in terms of my wardrobe and my mood, and to prepare myself for all that will inevitably blossom over the next months.

This spring, I am trying to exercise a “good vibes only” mindset, which can sometimes – due to our reactions to extenuating circumstances – be challenging to maintain.  

​I have been consciously trying to hold onto certain mantras that keep me focused on the good, while pushing out anything that - however momentarily - might bring me down.

Here are 8 'mantras' I have been prioritizing to maintain a positive mindset this spring.

1. "Do what you love"

​We hear this a lot, and yet it is such a luxury to practice this when we are caught up in our busy, stressful, fast-paced routines. I feel so much better when I drop some tasks to just do something I love, like sit in the park, write, swim, sing, go for an ice cream or work on my business. Stressors tend to dissipate when you are emotionally equipped to deal with them, and emotions tend to respond well to a change of pace and environment that allows you to just be you. 

2. "This doesn't work for me"

​I have had the fortune of discovering and practicing this mindset over the last 10 months or so. It stems from a solid understanding of what matters to you at your core, and what only brings you anxiety because it clashes with those very values and goals. If you have an idea in mind of what you want your day or week or season to be, feel free to distance yourself from whatever (or whoever) does not fit with that feeling you want to create for yourself. As you do this more and more, you’ll soon be surrounded ONLY by the opportunities, people and tasks that you truly want for yourself. As a result, you’ll find yourself complaining a lot less about peripheral things that you have eliminated. 

3. “I am destined for great things”. ​

I have this written on a post-it note on my desk. It helps stay optimistic but also serves as a reminder for a person to know his/her worth. When one thing doesn’t come to you, trust that something else soon will, because you deserve it. 

4. "Think of what makes you smile"

​This is a trick my Mom trained me on. It’s essentially a total distraction / consolation strategy, but it works in elevating your vibes to a higher level, so that good things come back to you rather than the negativity you may be putting out. It’s a fun exercise to take your bad mood and to feed it all the things you love about your life, all the faces you cherish, all your favorite places and memories, all those flattering things people have told you that have uplifted you at a moment in time. Let your mind cycle through this collection of vignettes at light-speed, and be attentive to how your face softens around the eyes and mouth!

5. "Don't judge the path"

This was an epiphany I had thanks to Alex Beadon, when we were talking about sudden and unexpected shifts in passions, careers and brands, and the feelings of guilt and pressure that are often associated with making such changes. Alex made me realize that everything we do, study, work on and create leads us somewhere, even if we can’t always draw a straight line from point A to point B. If, with the skills we acquire and the people we meet along the way, we realize that our mission has shifted, we should not judge the path that led us there, nor should we ever think something is a waste or a detour. Often, life events culminate in our current reality in messy (but beautiful) ways, and we don’t have to judge ourselves or feel affected by the judgments of others for those beautifully curving roads along the way.

6. "Use your immunity shield"

​This is SO HARD if you are like me and setbacks or irritations stick to your skin for longer than you’d wish. Going back to #2, think: “Is this essential in any way?” and, if it’s not, try to keep it at bay. It helps me to visualize a sort of impenetrable white beacon around me, with me safely going on with my life with all the crap deflecting off the shield. This is eventually how you learn to float above hurdles and annoyances (admittedly, I am not there yet).

7. "Bloom at your own pace"

​I recently read a quote that made me blatantly realize that nothing in nature blooms year-round, so why should we expect ourselves to be in a constant state of bloom? Comparison and competition (with others or oneself) is such a plaguing habit. It’s healthy in some ways, but so detrimental in that it can rob us of joy and mindfulness. These days, I try to appreciate everything I do, no matters its speed, reminding myself that life is not meant to be a race, and it is much more valuable when it is enjoyed. For ambitious folks (like me), this mindset feels impossible to maintain, but practicing it at least a little helps to alleviate some of the crippling pressure. 

8. "I'm happy".

​No matter what is going on in our lives, there are small pockets of momentary bliss where we feel okay - whether it’s a moment bracketed by laughter during an evening with friends, or the tranquility brought on by a sip of wine, or sunshine on your face, or gratitude for a bus you happened to catch. In those micromoments of happiness, however fleeting, I consciously tell my brain, “I’m happy”. It sounds silly, but relief, optimism and gratitude follow – all of which are feelings that attract more good things.

Tell me: Can you relate to any of these?
Leave a comment to connect – I would love to hear from you.

You may also like:

Follow