A negative mindset is something that can sabotage your self care. By changing that, you can maximize the benefits you get from taking care of yourself. Start by letting go of the past.

You can’t change what happened. Whether it was something that you said or did or something that someone else said or did to you, dwelling on it gets you nowhere. All it does it keep you mired in the emotions you felt when the situation occurred.

Just release it. You can simply say, “I let go of__” and then fill in the blank with whatever it was in the past that kept you mired in negativity. Whatever it was, it’s not worth you not taking the best care of you and letting go is a power only you have over the situation.

Release the negativity and stop believing in self defeating thoughts. These are things that you say about yourself that aren’t kind. Negative self talk can limit your belief in yourself – in your ability to achieve success and in how you value yourself.

Set boundaries with negative people. They drain your energy and fill you with stress. You leave their company feeling irritated, upset or mentally wiped out. They always seem to see what’s wrong with the world, with other people, and with you.

By setting boundaries – limiting contact, walking away, or even cutting them off when they begin to spew the negativity, you’re acknowledging that you need to take care of your own needs.

Fill your life with positivity. Engage in things that you enjoy doing. Spend your time involved in whatever relaxes you. Seek out people who are kind and supportive. Let yourself be accountable for the negative mindset.

This might mean facing the truth that your go-to response has been one of negativity. Begin your day by setting the stage so that negativity doesn’t get the first say. You can do this by writing down five things that you’re thankful for.

You can also write down things that you’re looking forward to. If you can’t think of anything you’re looking forward to, that’s a good sign that you’re not practicing self care.

Stop juggling drama that’s not yours.

Sometimes a negative mindset develops because you’re trying to handle everyone else’s emotional drama – your family, your friends and coworkers. You hear the negativity without the resolution, so it leaves things open ended and it’s human nature to want things to work out for the people we care about.