10 Healthy Mindsets You Need Right Now

Developing healthy mindsets is key to creating a healthy lifestyle. You need to conquer the battle in your mind in order to conquer the obstacles preventing you from living a healthy lifestyle.

Have you set goals to lose weight or eat healthy? Have you started strong out of the gate only to lose steam a few days or weeks in and then throw in the towel? Have you started and stopped so many times that you are discouraged and don’t have the energy to try again?

My friend, you need to start with your mind and develop healthy mindsets to move you forward and give you the foundation you need to stay the course. You can, and you will, live the healthy lifestyle you desire. It’s a matter of transforming your mind.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Here are 10 healthy mindsets you need to set yourself up for success.

1. I have purpose

God created you with a purpose.

First, He gave you life so you would use it to give Him glory and proclaim the gospel message.

Second, He gave you a unique personality, gifts, talents, skills and special people in your life to share them with.

And most importantly, He created you because He loves you. He wants you to love Him and those around you.

This looks different for every person because we are all unique. Being grounded in the fact that He wants us to glorify Him and lead others to Him through our lives, and to love those around us, we can then examine our lives to see how we can work out that purpose in our unique vocations.

Are you a wife, mother, daughter, friend, employee, employer?

How has God called you to share His love with others?

This mindset is the foundation for all other mindsets. It is essential!

2. I believe health is essential

Health is truly wealth. It is a cherished possession.

Often, we take for granted the fact that our health is what makes all of these things possible, or at least, a lot easier.

How is your health contributing or hindering the lifestyle you want to live? Do you desire to feel better? Will improving your health allow you to do things with those you love that you haven’t been able to do? Has your lack of health prevented you from living your life fully?

Do you believe that being healthy is essential?

3. I believe I can heal

When it comes to health, most of us have at least one health condition or concern.

In fact, according to these statistics:

• 70% of adults take prescription drugs

• 1 in 5 take 5 or more prescription drugs

• Among 40-59 year olds, the most common drugs are antidepressants, lipid lowering drugs (cholesterol), and ACE inhibitors (blood pressure)

But the majority of health conditions for which we take medications, we can prevent, improve or reverse with lifestyle changes.

Here are some more facts about chronic lifestyle diseases:

• 6 in 10 adults have a chronic disease

• 4 in 10 have 2 or more chronic diseases

And the leading causes of death are:

• Heart disease

• Cancer

• Chronic lung disease

• Stroke

• Alzheimer's disease

• Diabetes

• Chronic kidney disease

These lifestyle diseases are not outside of our control.

The key lifestyle risks include:

• Tobacco use

• Poor nutrition

• Lack of physical activity

• Excessive use of alcohol

Do you believe that you can heal your body? Do you see areas in your own life that you can change in order to promote healing?

You must believe you can heal in order to make these changes.

4. I am adaptable to change

The word ‘change’ can either make you excited or reluctant. But the fact of the matter is that change is inevitable.

And when it comes to developing healthy mindsets, it’s a must.

We have gotten comfortable with our lifestyles. They are like cozy blankets and our favorite pair of leggings. But if our health is not where we desire it to be, then our lifestyle is not serving us and our goals. We must make changes.

Keep doing the same things and you will get the same results.

Some need to incorporate more changes than others.

• Are you sedentary for most of your days? More regular movement is needed.

• Do you live on processed foods or runs through the drive-thru? Fueling your body with gentle nutrition is in order.

• Do you stay up late and feel sluggish in the morning? A regular bedtime routine needs to be established.

A lifestyle assessment is needed. Take a look at your health and what habits you have developed that have led to a less-than-healthy lifestyle.

You must be adaptable to making the required changes.

5. I own my habits

Reality check time.

• Do you plop down on the couch after work and watch TV all night?

• Do you spend your free time mindlessly scrolling through social media?

• Do you have to have snacks when you are watching your favorite shows?

• Is binge watching Netflix a regular part of your life?

• Do you have to have something sweet after you eat?

• Do you regularly grab chips, crackers or cookies for snacks?

• Do you light up a cigarette after dinner or when you are stressed?

• Do you have to have a couple glasses of wine or cocktails in order to relax?

• Do you eat fast food regularly?

• Do you drink pop or energy drinks on a regular basis?

Friend, we all have habits that hinder us from living the healthy lifestyle we desire. The first step is acknowledging them. We must bring them to light. We must stop denying, hiding and harboring them! We have to be REAL with ourselves. We have to analyze our days to see where we are missing the mark. We have to be honest with ourselves and be accountable to the habits we have.

When we trade unhealthy habits for healthy habits, we get to own those too.

• Incorporate intentional movement in the morning or after work

• Drink 8 glasses of water a day

• Plan our meals each week

• Eat more fruits and vegetables every day

• Plan nutritious snacks

• Go to bed at a set bedtime

• Go for a walk instead of binge-watching TV

• Stop smoking

• Limit alcohol consumption

And when we own these habits, we make them a priority because they are the steps needed to live the healthy lifestyle that we want for ourselves.

This mindset is a strong one. It makes us who and what we are. You are what you do each day. Be strong and healthy, my friend!

6. I value progress over perfection

How many times have you set a goal to exercise 5 times a week? Maybe you start the first week off strong (or maybe you don’t) and the first time you don’t hit the 5 times a week mark, BOOM! You’re done. You failed. You quit.

Perfection robs us of the chance to improve.

In fact, you will never be perfect! (Rom 3:23)

And expecting perfection in our exercise routine, eating plan, Bible reading or anything else along our journey to health is unrealistic.

You need to be consistent, but you will never be perfect.

Are you consistently making movement a priority but realize life happens?

Do you fuel your body with nutritious foods consistently but allow yourself grace occasionally?

Are you making sleep a priority but know sometimes you have to be flexible?

Start right where you are at. Set your goals and determine the plan that works best for you to achieve them.

Give yourself grace. But never give yourself an out.

Give yourself wiggle room. But don’t give yourself free reign.

Give yourself discipline. But don’t beat yourself up.

You want to improve your health.

Always value progress. Perfection is a lie.

7. I am committed

The truth is… Commitment isn’t easy. It isn’t a short-term endeavor. It doesn’t last until we ‘just aren’t feeling it anymore.” It doesn’t disappear because the going gets tough.

Commitment requires:

• Grit

• Perseverance

• Determination

• Willingness to go the distance

• Doing whatever needs to be done

• Sacrifice

• Growing and learning

• Adapting to change

• Never, ever giving up

And this is especially true when it comes to your health. This mindset is where the rubber meets the road, my friend!

Commitment is a mindset. And it's based on what is truly important to you... Your WHY! Your why will see you through challenges and difficulties and when you are just plain tired of doing the work. It gets you back on your feet and moving forward. It’s who you are, my sister. It’s who you are.

8. I believe setbacks are opportunities to learn

If we always did everything with ease, with no struggle or failure, we would learn little.

Think back to a time when you were in a situation that challenged you. Chances are you had to think outside the box or look for new information to help you.

Now think of a time when you really struggled or messed up. For me the list is LONG. But one thing is sure, these are the times we learn the most. And most times we either learn what we should have done instead or what we shouldn’t have done at all.

Will you hop on the scale sometimes and not lose any weight? Yes.

Will you eat a rich meal and feel miserable afterwards? Probably.

Will you go away for the weekend and over-indulge? Possibly.

Will you allow life to get the best of you and put exercise on the back burner? More than likely.

• We can use our setbacks to evaluate what led up to them.

• Did our priorities change or get out of whack?

• Did we allow our schedules to get out of control?

• Did we simply get tired and need to regroup?

• Did we let old habits slip back in?

Use your setbacks as an opportunity to learn, not as an excuse to give up.

9. I trust the process

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

It is so easy to let discouragement creep into our hearts and minds. We want instant gratification and immediate results for our hard work.

But just like most things in life, this will not happen when it comes to our healthy lifestyle.

Trusting the process means that even though you don’t see the results you want externally, you know that there are changes being made internally. You are benefiting from the changes you’ve made and the work you put in regardless of what your eyes tell you.

You’ve done your research. You’ve developed your plan. You are taking action steps to improve your health by eating nutritiously, moving more, reading your Bible, getting enough rest, taking time for those you love…. This is THE PROCESS. And regardless of how fast or slow the results come, you trust that it is working for your good.

Trusting the process keeps your head in the game. It’s recognizing the road to a healthy lifestyle is a journey, not a sprint.

So, when the going gets tough, trust the process.

10. I am worth it

I saved this one for last because I want it to sit with you awhile. I want it to go deep into your heart and mind. I want it to combat any thoughts to the contrary. This is indeed 100% true. You, my beloved sister, are worth it.

Christ Jesus died FOR YOU, my friend. (Rom 5:8)

You are worth His very life. (John 10:11)

He loved you before the creation of the world. (Eph 1:4-5)

He loves you with an everlasting love. (Jer 31:3)

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:13-14)

Your life, here and now, MATTERS.

Your health is a precious gift FOR YOU and for those around you.

You DESERVE to take care of yourself.

Your VALUE is NOT determined by:

• Your weight

• Your dress size

• Your ability to follow a healthy eating plan

• How often you exercise

• How much Scripture you memorize

• How much money you earn

• Your struggles with food or sugar addiction

• Past failures

• Past hurts

• The media

• The opinions of others

God brought you into being. (Ps 139:13)

He gives you everything you need to sustain your life. (Phil 4:19)

He has plans for you (Jer 29:11)

You are worth the effort.

You are worth the time.

You are worth the investment.

YOU ARE SO WORTH IT.

Believe that your worth lies in Jesus Christ. To Him, there is nothing more valuable than YOU.

Next Up -- 10 Excuses that Keep You from Exercising