Trying to Think Positive
More than once in our life, we’ve been told a variation of the phrase “think positive”. But it can be easier said than done.
Juggling your health, life, and day-to-day responsibilities can be overwhelming and lead to thoughts that sound a lot like “This is too much; I can’t do it.”
We’re here with some good news. Yes, you can do it. And the key to success might just be positive thinking. Positive thinking has been shown to be particularly beneficial in moments when your life feels out of control, where the power of positive thinking can set into motion a chain of events over which you do have control.
Now let us be clear, positive thinking doesn’t mean you view the world through rose-colored glasses. Positive thinking means you are striving to be optimistic, and you’re intentional about looking for a favorable outcome. It relies on hope and enables us to look beyond our current situation and circumstances and builds emotional and social resources that turn to positive action.
Negative thinking signals the body’s immune response. A positive attitude can improve your immune system, alongside other benefits such as:
- Triggering positive emotions such as joy, interest, contentment, pride, and love
- Researchers suspect that people who are more positive may be better protected against the inflammatory damage of stress
- Research also found that positive thinking can aid in stress management and even plays an important role in overall health and well-being
- Hope and positivity help people make better health and life decisions and focus more on long-term goals
- Additional studies have found that a positive attitude improves outcomes and life satisfaction across a spectrum of conditions—including traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumors.
Here are some ways to easily incorporate positive thinking into your daily routine and schedule:
- Affirmations! Print out your favorite positive mantras (like “I am a happy person”) and place them somewhere you can see them multiple times during your day.
- Journal for a few minutes each day and write down one thing for which you’re grateful.
- Practice mindfulness. This means staying more present and “in the moment” and can be as easy as taking the time to notice all the different trees and plants on your daily walk.
- Smile more! Research shows that if you smile, your mood actually improves.
- Get into the practice of reframing your thoughts. For example, turn an “It’s too complicated” into “I’ll tackle it from a different angle”.
- Start building resiliency by acting on problems rather than ignoring them or hoping they disappear.
So, this month, let your positive thoughts translate into positive actions that can help you take better care of yourself while you take good care of your loved ones.
For more information and examples of the power of positive thinking, visit the Mayo Clinic site.
“The secret of a better and more successful life is to cast out those old, dead, unhealthy thoughts. Substitute for them new vital, dynamic faith thoughts. You can depend upon it—an inflow of new thought will remake you and your life.”- Norman Vincent Peale, Power of Positive Thinking
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