The Bright Side: How Thinking Positively Helps Your Health
It’s a common fact that having a positive attitude is important but many people don’t understand the magnitude of it. There are so many benefits that come with thinking positively including improvements in physical, mental, and psychological well-being. Negative thoughts just constrict our mind and body while positive thinking allows us to open our mind and see the big picture in life. Join me as we discuss the benefits and offer some tips for you to start thinking more positively. To be clear, as a Christian, positive thinking tactics do not trump or replace my relationship with God. In fact, I get these tips from my faith. Now to the benefits:
Less Stress
Thinking positively has been proven to help reduce stress. There’s a term called self-talk which can be described as your inner voice. The goal is to control your inner voice and not let it control you. Self-talk is very important because it relates directly to your behavior. If you have negative self-talk such as “there is no way this will work” or “this is too hard, I give up” then you’ll probably end up not doing it. Negative self-talk can lead to an increase of work because of procrastination, which can result in more stress. It’s important to have positive self-talk because it gives you strength and hope. So let’s replace those negative thoughts with positive ones like “I will try to make it work” and “I’ll try this one more time”. Thinking positively will also help you manage stress and handle stressful situations better.
Healthier Lifestyle
As I mentioned previously, positive thinking will lead to improvements to your well-being. For example, having a positive outlook will make you want to make the most out of life. You’ll want to be more active, eat better and forego negative things that can lead to bad habits. Incorporating all these things will reduce health risks and lead to an increase in lifespan. You’ll live longer and feel healthier so you can live the dream.
Ability to Develop Skills
Thinking positively will help you develop certain skills that are crucial for success in life. This is very important when you’re young or if you have kids. Kids need to learn to think positively because it’ll help them engage a tough world. They’ll learn social skills by playing and interacting with friends, physical skills by being physically active, and creative skills by exploring and learning things while growing up. Children aren’t the only ones that will develop these skills. You’re never too old to learn new tricks so go ahead and think positively and build up these skills.
Look for Change
To get rid of negativity you must find the things in life that are negative. Sit down and evaluate which part of your life causes the most negativity and stress. Then you can focus on that one part and look for ways to make it more positive. If you need some change, try volunteering your time to help others. I find this as a great way to build positivity and a giving habit. Giving is a bigger blessing than receiving.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
You hear this all the time, but is it true? I choose to believe it is. Laughing is a great way to relieve stress and other negative thoughts. It also helps your body grow strong by strengthening your immune system to help defend against illnesses. Go watch a romantic-comedy film or read a comic book, anything that you find enjoyable go ahead and do it. One of my personal favorites, looking at pictures and video of puppies & playful dogs!!
Hang Out with Loved Ones
You must spend time with the people whom you love (especially if they are positive people). Having positive people around you will help you feel more positive. Plan a day in the park to play some sports or have a picnic. Go for a run or bike ride together. Nature has a tendency to bring out the best in most people.
Get Active
Being active is one of the best ways to increase your positivity. I live by athletic activity. Exercising and eating right will help you feel better about yourself. Set goals for yourself and try your hardest to reach them. Successfully achieving your goals will give you a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, which will improve your mood.
Now that you know how important it is to think positively, take a moment to reflect on these tips. Are you where you want to be in terms of your attitude towards life? If not then we suggest you take some of our tips to heart as you work towards changing your standard of living. As we wrap up 2015 and set personal goals for 2016, this is a great time to do a self-check.