Master Your Mindset: 8 Little Things That Actually Help

Getting your mind in check isn’t some trendy, woo-woo thing. It’s how I keep from spiraling when I burn my toast and take it personally. And yeah, I went into the research.

It turns out the experts agree — your mindset shapes how you handle stress, build habits, and chase whatever you’ve convinced yourself you need, whether it’s a new job, six-pack abs, or enlightenment — pick your pleasure. Master your mindset.

We all get stuck in our heads sometimes. I get stuck so often that I feel like my thoughts are a broken record, playing the same track on repeat.

But shifting your mindset doesn’t require a trip to Tibet or a second mortgage for therapy. I tried the Master Key Experience course and realized how much your brain loves rituals.

If you make them positive rituals, you improve and you master your mindset. If you stick with the same old approach, you’ll get the same old results.

Eight little things can help. Repeat them often enough, and your brain will rewire itself without any fanfare. Your mindset isn’t fixed in stone. It shifts and evolves over time.

It’s like a lens — sometimes rose-colored, sometimes smeared with Cheeto dust. These rituals can help you clean it up and see things more clearly. They can actually help you master your mindset instead of letting it master you.

1. Start with Stillness – Meditate

Before the world explodes into noise each day, take five minutes to sit still and breathe. Focus on your breathing and let your mind drift, then gently pull it back like a dog on a leash.

No apps or mantras are needed. Just you, refusing to treat every thought like a fire alarm that requires your immediate attention.

2. Write the Junk Out – Journal

Grab a notebook and unload whatever’s on your mind. It does not need to make sense or be profound. I’ve ranted for half a page about why I hate socks that slip into my shoes.

It helps clear out the mental sludge. If you find yourself looping on the same thought over and over, this can help break the spiral.

3. Move Like You Mean It

Get up and stretch. Go for a walk. Moving your body does not mean you have to drive to a gym every day and do CrossFit. Just use your body in some way.

Remember, your body wasn’t built to rot in a chair for eight hours straight. Moving jump-starts your brain even better than coffee. (Okay, almost as well as coffee.)

4. Say Thanks for Stuff – Gratitude

Got a roof over your head? No one’s dog barked during your Zoom call? Jot down three things you’re grateful for each day — even if one of them is just “I didn’t throw my laptop out the window.”

Training your brain to scan for the good stuff instead of just the garbage can make a big difference, just one more key to master your mindset.

5. Go Outside (Porch Counts)

Nature doesn’t give a hoot about your to-do list. That’s kind of the point. Go stare at the sky for a bit. Touch a leaf. Even just five minutes can help slow your roll and give you some much-needed perspective.

6. Be Weirdly Nice

Do something kind for someone else with zero expectations. Compliment a stranger’s jacket. Hold the door for the guy who never says thank you. It’ll lift you up even more than it lifts them. Kindness by itself is the reward.

In the Master Key Experience course, we spend at least a week focusing on kindness. Check out some of the students’ experiences and comments here. Feel free to add to the list of thousands of kindnesses already there.

7. Make Something (Anything) – Be Creative

Build something. Rearrange your furniture. Doodle in a sketchbook. Bake cookies. We humans are wired to make stuff — it’s rewiring for the soul. I draw stick figures wrestling with existential dread. It works. The act of creation is powerful medicine.

8. Stop Being a Jerk to Yourself

Messed up? Just shrug and say, “Well, that was dumb,” then keep on trucking. Talk to yourself like you would to a friend who needs some kindness and real talk. Skip the fake affirmations and just be genuinely kind to yourself. You’re learning to master your mindset.

Celebrate your efforts. Laugh off your failures. If you can’t get something out of your head, try beating a pillow and getting mad, then release that thought or experience. Breathe and celebrate the fact that you noticed what was happening.

You don’t need to tackle all eight of these today to master your mindset. Pick two or three to start with. Walking, journaling, and giving thanks are a solid combo.

Add the rest as you go. You’re not going to morph into a Zen master overnight. Just keep showing up and chipping away at it.

Want to go deeper? The design of the Master Key Experience is to help you master your mindset; to clear your mental clutter over 26 weeks so you can focus on what truly lights you up inside. Click here if you are game to give it a shot.