A mindful start to 2016

Here we are in 2016, and many of you have started the annual ritual to be healthier and happier over the next 12 months and beyond.

Most of you have overcome many challenges in the past few years and I think we are looking forward to having better years into the future. With such a large assortment of health, fitness and diet programs to choose from, which perilous first steps do you take towards wellness?

The steps needed for a truly successful and lasting shift to health and wellness starts with managing your thoughts. For each and every one of us, our failures tend to happen due to our thoughts. Learning to manage how we think can make a huge difference in the outcome of our actions. This process of reengineering your inner self is all about self-control and remaining positive on a daily basis.

I am sure many of you have wondered how you can change your outlook and thought process to succeed. Hundreds of books have been written on the subject and social media is full of memes promoting positive behavior and self-love. The simplest way to understand and build yourself into a positive and confident person comes from our childhood. Remember your parents back in the day, reinforcing your childhood challenges and successes with the story of the little train that could? As adults, we teach our children that success only comes if you have confidence and stay positive and you will reach your goals. Adults often talk a good game when coaching their children, but rarely practice what they preach.

If 2016 is going to be your year of health and wellness, it’s time to step up and take control of your thoughts and outlook. This means grabbing onto long-term goals and shift your lifestyle into a permanent change toward wellness. Having worked with many different people on jump-starting a lasting mindset of health and wellness, I know it always starts with your mind and remaining positive. Never doubt the process, and be confident in your success.

Here are a few areas to understand and hold to:

1. Clear your life of negative thoughts and stress. I know this is not easy, but staying positive, mindful and in the moment is the first step toward bringing great things into your life. Thoughts become things, so shift your thought process toward what you want and reinforce these wants by using a vision board. Place positive reminders all around you, such has phases, quotes and photos that support your journey to health and wellness. Daily reminders out in the open for all to see will keep your thoughts on track, leaving you no room to doubt that you will achieve your desired outcome.

2. Protect your social wellness by surrounding yourself with people that reflect your goals and lifestyle change. Keep dramatic, negative people at a distance and manage how you react to their influences. Building a solid group of supportive people in your life will ensure long-term success. Social wellness and being happy go hand in hand. Being connected with like-minded people sharing love, life and happiness in it’s self with make you healthier.

3. Once you shift your thoughts toward a more positive outlook, you should naturally start to feel more emotionally and mentally controlled. Keeping in touch with your emotions allows you to let things happen rather than feeling the need to make things happen. Being relaxed and aware of your feelings, thoughts and self-talk will allow goals to be achieved with ease.

4. Shore up your spiritual wellness. Use your spiritual wellness as a foundation to your sense of meaning and purpose in your life. When things get tough, many times your spiritual wellness is your only safety net, so cultivate and incorporate this aspect into your overall wellness.

5. Often overlooked but equally important is your environmental wellness. We live in such a beautiful place; use your environment to reset your mental outlook. Take time to walk in nature, view the beauty around you to stay centered and happy. Use the environments around you to support your best self — it's an amazing tool toward a successful life of health and wellness.

6. Finally, allow yourself to act spontaneously and live and enjoy each moment with a certain level of mindfulness. For lasting health and wellness, keep your thoughts appreciative, connected with love of your surroundings, self and others and you will lose interest in conflict and fear-based thinking.

Achieving lasting results with health and wellness absolutely starts within thoughts and great thought processes. Inner engineering of a happier, more positive person can only happen when you master your mind; do not let your mind master you. Making excuses, living in a negative state of mind and believing you can’t will only serve to derail your goals and achievements.

Make 2016 an amazing, kind and mindful start to the rest of your life.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corp.