5 Things I Stopped Doing to Protect My Mindset and Improve My Well-Being

I feel like I’ve had to fight—be intentional, not give up, and work really, really hard—to become a more positive, happier, and brighter person. It’s not something that comes easy to me. I don’t just wake up in a good mood. Usually, it’s the opposite. What I feed my mind will set the tone for whether my mood shifts to positive… or not.

Once I understood the power of our minds and the importance of what we "feed" them, I decided to take inventory of what I was “consuming.” I evaluated whether those things made me feel better, worse, or neutral.

The things that made me feel worse? They had to go.

Here are five things I stopped doing (or cut back on) to protect my mindset:

1. Watching the News

We’ve been taught that being uninformed is ignorant and a privilege. I agree with one of those things. It’s definitely a privilege to shield myself from the nonsense we now call news.

Back in the day, staying informed was about real reporting—facts and information that mattered. Now, it feels like it’s all fear-mongering, scare tactics, misinformation, and grabbing views, likes, and shares.

Call me crazy, but scary news makes me… scared. Sad news makes me… sad. And frustrating news makes me… frustrated. Funny how that works, right?

I’ve intentionally rewritten the subconscious programming that told me I should be informed, I need to know what’s going on in the world, and I have to stay up to date on every story. Why? Because it was wrecking my mindset and well-being.

Now, I stay informed on topics that matter most to me or that I can actually do something about. Everything else? It’s just draining me and feeding my subconscious mind a diet of negativity, fear, and hate.

2. Listening to or Watching Crime Shows or Podcasts

Crime shows, especially true crime, create a rush of dopamine, adrenaline, and serotonin in our brains, making them exciting—and sometimes a little addictive.

Many of us love this stuff because it’s fascinating to learn about the mind of a serial killer or to see how these stories unfold. Women, in particular, are drawn to this genre because it feels like getting close to danger without actually being in danger. It also gives us a chance to imagine ourselves in the shoes of the person in trouble and figure out how we’d survive.

But here’s the thing: graphic imagery, even when it’s just described, tends to stay in our minds much longer than positive imagery. It can elevate cortisol levels and have a lasting impact on our mood and mindset.

3. Getting Less Than 7+ Hours of Sleep

After a bad night’s sleep, I eat more calories, feel irritable, moody, sad, anxious, and nauseous. I’m more prone to getting sick, and I can’t focus. And it’s not just me—according to this Healthline article, poor sleep affects your central nervous, immune, respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. Yikes! That’s a whole-body mess.

Whoever says they can thrive on 5 hours of sleep (or less) is either in denial or in the 1% of the population with a special gene that makes them short sleepers. Sorry to break it to you, but you’re probably not in that 1%. Most of us need 7–9 hours of sleep for optimal health.

To protect my sleep, here’s what I’ve done:

• Wear earplugs if there’s noise.

• Sleep with an eye mask.

• Turn off blue light on my phone in the evening.

• Get morning sunlight to reset my circadian rhythm.

• Move my body most days to burn energy.

• Avoid watching anything too exciting before bed.

• Use tapping (EFT), hypnosis, or meditation as needed.

• Say no to late-night events unless it’s a special occasion.

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.

• Avoid sleep aids, including melatonin.

• Avoid caffeine altogether—just one cup in the morning affects my sleep.

• Dim screens to their lowest brightness at night.
  

4. Drinking Alcohol

I’ll go deeper into my sober curious journey in another post, but here’s the short version: I quit drinking over two years ago because alcohol made me feel sad and anxious.

A night of drinking meant poor-quality sleep, not moving from the couch the next day, binge-eating and watching Netflix, followed by questioning my worth. It took almost a week to shake off the Booze Blues—just in time for the weekend to start again, and the cycle to repeat.

The book Dopamine Nation helped me understand why this happened. Dopamine (the feel-good hormone) surges when we drink, but it’s followed by a crash as your brain seeks balance. That cycle? Not a ride I want to be on anymore.

5. Measuring Everything

Steps. Calories. Macros. Weight. Sleep. Waistline. We measure so much, it’s no wonder we walk around feeling like we’re not enough. Because so often, the numbers literally say we aren’t.

Measurement also shows up in comparison—measuring ourselves against others. Maybe you’re pregnant and notice you’re bigger than another mom due around the same time. Or you’re scrolling Instagram, seeing a bride celebrate her big day, and suddenly feel crappy because you’re single.

Whether it’s literal or figurative, measurement can lead us to believe:

I’ll be enough when…
I’ll be worthy when…

Measuring can be helpful in moderation or on a temporary basis. But any time you look outside yourself for validation, let that be a signal to shift your focus inward. You are worthy just as you are. Right here. Right now.

Since I started learning about what affects our mindset—which, in turn, affects our success and well-being—I’ve made so many changes to support my growth physically, spiritually, financially, and mentally.

My goal in sharing these five things isn’t for you to become like me—it’s to spark awareness about what you’re watching, listening to, saying, reading, and consuming.

If you’re eager for more accountability, tools, and support to help you live better, join She Can Academy! It’s a community of like-minded women breaking free from people-pleasing, harmful self-talk, and mindsets that keep them stuck. Today is the best day to start working on yourself!