Can you learn how to think and behave positively?
The “power of positive thinking” is a popular concept. As the old question goes, are you a glass half-empty or half-full sort of person. While this may sound trivial, scientific studies have shown that a positive mindset can indeed be valuable in promoting both mental and physical health and wellbeing.
It can give you more confidence, boost your mood, and minimize the chances of developing conditions such as hypertension, depression and other stress-related disorders.
While it won’t magically solve every problem, it will help make them seem more manageable, enabling you to approach hardships in a more positive and productive way.
Here are some of the proven benefits of thinking positively:
- A better quality of life
- Feeling more energetic
- Improved mental and physical health
- Coping better with stress
- Faster recovery from injury or illness
So how do we go about achieving it?
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Focus on the good not on the bad
Challenging situations and problems are a normal part of everyday life. While it might not at first appear obvious, every situation will have a positive lining. Try focusing on the good no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may at first seem. -
Be appreciative for those happy moments
Practice expressing gratitude for all the good and happy moments. Being aware of these helps diminish stress. -
Avoid negative people
Negativity is catching. Try and be around good humored, positive people as much as possible. Not only will it lighten your mood, but it will help you see the bright side of everything when you see others behaving this way. -
Be aware of your good points
Being conscious of your positive attributes naturally fosters heightened self-esteem lightening all of those mood depressing thoughts. -
Try and determine what causes feelings of negativity
Once you can pinpoint these you are well on your way to conquering them. While no one enjoys criticism, asking a close and trusted friend or loved one to gently point them out to you will assist in identifying what you need to start working on. -
Wake up each day on a positive note
Be grateful when you wake up that you are able to get out of bed and face a new day. There are many who aren’t so fortunate!
The downside of negative thinking
Having a consistently negative mindset allows the stresses that are a part of normal everyday life to take control. Everyone experiences periods when they are feeling low, but these must never become obsessive. Succumbing to them is a recipe for disaster. The effect of negative emotions can trigger nervous and hormonal imbalances in the body which can so easily result in physical and mental illness. Why shorten your lifespan when by thinking positively you can have the key to lengthening it?
While you can’t reverse bad behavioral traits overnight, with some practice they can be controlled. The next step is to learn how to avoid the situations that trigger them, and how to approach things with a more balanced and healthy outlook in the future.
Learning from the past
Everyone experiences failures; no one is perfect. But instead of endlessly mulling over the upsetting and embarrassing events of the past, take control of them by planning how you will react to a similar situation in the future. For example, if you find yourself flaring up and reacting angrily when things go wrong, make up your mine to respond calmly and thoughtfully the next time it happens. Speaking softly and patiently is a wonderful key to suppressing anger and controlling your temper.
So, instead of focusing on how you failed, think about what you’re going to do next time, thereby turning your failure into a lesson for success.
You can do it
We can all apply these lessons to our own lives and the more we plan and practice the more successful we will be at accomplishing them. Start today and see how the returns keep compounding!