How to Enter the New Year With a Positive Mindset: 5 Ways

Written by Cora Gold

A positive mindset is a powerful tool for tackling anything you might encounter. As the new year approaches, it’s important to consider how you will approach it. There are many ways to enter into a positive mindset that will last and empower you for years. Here are five ways to do just that.

Begin With Gratitude

Gratitude is important in goal setting because it helps you appreciate what you have already accomplished.

“New year, new me!” is a common phrase as we move toward January, but it’s important to acknowledge the good in your life the previous year. By finding that good, you can enter the new year feeling confident that good will happen even if you don’t meet your resolutions.

Research shows that practicing gratitude reduces stress and helps people live happier lives, so it’s worth a try. 

To get into a habit of gratitude, try keeping a journal. Write down a few things you’re grateful for every night. At the end of the year, you can review your entries and remember the positive memories you made.

“Pura vida” means living life with a focus on what matters instead of trivial things. Living life with gratitude can help you achieve that.

Another way to practice gratitude is to look for the good in almost any situation. Mr. Rogers told children to “look for the helpers,” which is the same sentiment. Life can get stressful, and a rough year can lead to setting excessively high expectations for the next. By noticing good things during times of stress, you can start the new year with more appreciation.

Don’t Start From Scratch

When setting goals for the new year, it’s easy to think of new goals you never started. However, continuing the goals you began the previous year is also important. Appreciating how far you’ve come with a goal and expanding it can give you a feeling of accomplishment before you begin your updated list.

We often set goals at the start of the year that are difficult to achieve. Not only does it lead to goals not getting accomplished, but it also discourages you from making progress with goals in the future.

Add goals you began this year to next year’s list to show how far you’ve come and motivate you to complete them.

Use Positive Language

By incorporating positive language into your goals, you can set a positive mindset for the new year.

When setting goals, it’s important not to be too hard on yourself. Many people write down things they will stop doing instead of focusing on the positive habits to begin.

Instead of “stop eating so much junk food,” try “incorporate more healthy foods into meals.” Try “walk 500 more steps daily” instead of “get off the couch more.” By rephrasing these goals positively, you can start the new year feeling good about yourself instead of down.

You can also incorporate this language into your day-to-day life, helping you stay in a positive mindset year-round. There is power in positive language, so incorporate it into almost any situation.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is an important part of your physical and mental health. Without enough, you could end up without enough feel-good hormones that help you stay positive.

Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night to help their body process information and recover from the previous day. Consistent nights without enough sleep can cause an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms, stopping you from being positive.

If you’ve had trouble sleeping in the past year, there are things you can try. Eliminating screens before bed is one way to help your brain unwind. Other ways are to read a light-hearted book and take a relaxing bath or shower.

Certain essential oils, like lavender and eucalyptus, can help you relax before bed. Some people even take melatonin supplements, so ask your doctor first.

Be Around Positive People

Other emotions can influence our own. If you surround yourself with negativity in the new year, it will be harder to stay in a positive mindset.

You can still support others while setting appropriate boundaries for your mental health. Enjoying time with people who think positively can help you be positive as you enter the new year.

Being around positive people can help you achieve in other areas, such as friendships and financial stability. If you don’t have positive friends, joining a class or club with like-minded individuals can help you get there.

Entering the New Year Positive

A positive mindset is a powerful tool that can help you thrive in the new year. Following this advice can give you a positive outlook in the upcoming months.