Why Mindset Is the First Factor of Wellness

The following is adapted from The Self-Care Dare by Carrie Cox.

The Self-Care Dare starts with mindset because it controls everything. Your thoughts drive your actions, and your actions determine your results. Creating a positive mindset is vital to your strength and success.

Here's the thing: happy people are not happy by accident. They intentionally control their mindset, steering their brain away from what drags them down and toward what lifts them up. They focus on what brings joy and sparks motivation, and they avoid things that spark anger, indignation, and offense. Happy people don't doomscroll, and they don't waste brain capacity on politicians they despise.

Exercise is associated with health and happiness, so why doesn't everyone do it? That's a complicated question, but a simple answer is that it's just uncomfortable, and we're wired to avoid discomfort. Exercise becomes a consistent part of your life once you adjust your mindset and accept that temporary discomfort is worth it.

In the book, I ask you to adopt the mantra "I can do hard things," because you can. You don't get to decide many of the hard things in life. We can't control our family members' choices, the health of others, tragic accidents, and a host of other hard situations. But when we're equipped with the right tools to walk through those hard times, we aren't destroyed by the things that are simply part of being human.

At its core, a positive mindset shifts your focus from limitations to possibilities. Negative thinking tells you that you're too busy to go to the gym, or that you're not fit enough to join a class. A growth mindset sees past that. It sees the opportunity to move your body and connect with others, and it reminds you that you always feel better after a workout.

A growth mindset leads to constant improvement and learning. It's the opposite of the victim mindset, which we're all guilty of at times but can overcome. People who choose a victim mindset believe things just happen to them. They blame traffic when they're late, complain about the weather, or decide they didn't get the promotion because the boss hates them. People with a growth mindset own their circumstances instead. When they're late, which is rare, they admit the real truth: I left the house too late to account for the traffic. When they miss a promotion, they admit it too: the person the boss chose outworks me.

Cultivating a growth mindset goes beyond thinking positively. It's about owning your circumstances instead of feeling like life is happening to you. When you adopt a growth mindset, you fully accept that you make life happen.

This doesn't happen by accident. Positive people aren't born that way, and they're not happy all the time. Successful people, whether entrepreneurs, CEOs, or athletes, didn't just get lucky. There's a little luck involved, but good luck tends to follow good decisions, just as bad luck follows bad ones. I dare you to celebrate your blessings, especially the small ones, and approach life's challenges with a proactive, solution-oriented attitude.

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For more advice on cultivating a growth mindset, you can find The Self-Care Dare on Amazon.

Carrie Cox is the visionary founder and owner of Crew Fitness, a boutique fitness concept with locations in Mobile, Alabama, and Houston, Texas. With over a decade of experience in the fitness and wellness industry, Carrie has inspired countless individuals to embrace healthier, more fulfilling lives. She champions accessible and achievable wellness as the creator of Crewathlon, a dynamic multisport event that unites fitness and community. A sought-after speaker, Carrie connects with audiences through relatable and actionable advice. She lives in Mobile, Alabama, with her wife, Mary Kendall, and her three daughters, Maggie, Sadie, and Mary Frank.