Positive Thinking
Lets be honest. Most of us probably deal with not thinking good thoughts as often as we should. Being more positive towards yourself has been proven to uplift our spirits. Positive psychology has become more popular among psychologists in recent years and it seems to be catching on in society. Lets discuss some of the basics of positive psychology and how it helps us become well!
What is Positive Psychology? According to , https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200805/what-is-positive-psychology-and-what-is-it-not, it is "Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. It is a call for psychological science and practice to be as concerned with strength as with weakness; as interested in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst; and as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling as with healing pathology." To me it says we need to focus on what is uplifting in every area of life. Although there are plenty of negative things that will happen to us on our path of life, we need to be more concerned about being our own, and other's, personal cheerleaders! You have 2 choices regarding this topic and your daily though processes. You can be negative about the circumstance or positive. To me, there is not a grey area for this topic. It's like you are either pregnant or not pregnant! No in-betweens! This doesn't mean to be in denial of our situations and some which are serious at times. But we must try to focus on the positive the best we can!
What is Positive Psychology? According to , https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200805/what-is-positive-psychology-and-what-is-it-not, it is "Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. It is a call for psychological science and practice to be as concerned with strength as with weakness; as interested in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst; and as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling as with healing pathology." To me it says we need to focus on what is uplifting in every area of life. Although there are plenty of negative things that will happen to us on our path of life, we need to be more concerned about being our own, and other's, personal cheerleaders! You have 2 choices regarding this topic and your daily though processes. You can be negative about the circumstance or positive. To me, there is not a grey area for this topic. It's like you are either pregnant or not pregnant! No in-betweens! This doesn't mean to be in denial of our situations and some which are serious at times. But we must try to focus on the positive the best we can!
Positivity Facts
Did you know that you think anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts per day? I think a lot but I never dreamed it would be that much! I'm sure I am on the high end! So, what are we filling our minds with? Is it negative self talk? Is it uplifting thinking towards ourselves or others? What we focus on and fill our minds with usually becomes a habit before we know it. A paper written by positive psychologist Barbara Frederickson enlightens us on the topic of positive thinking.
Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions: People's daily experiences compile over time and become what we turn to as a reference for responses during different situations. Essentially how we respond over time creates certain mental habits for responses in the future. The more actively positive we are for longer periods of time, the more likely we are to respond with that mindset in the future. The same goes for being negative. To see more on what Barbara Frederickson wrote go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156028/ and read her original research on the topic! Lets discuss what positive thinking does for us.
1. It creates good feelings and a sense of wellbeing, even if it is only for a few moments. Sometimes that is all you need!
2. It helps us to open our minds to more possibilities to overcome the challenges of life.
3. Empowers you to be more confident.
4. Confidence, in turn, encourages skill building that we will use throughout our whole life.
5. It has shown to improve recovery from illness. Cancer patient recover more quickly when being optimistic.
6. Some studies have shown that optimism increases immunity by aiding in antibody production.
7. Being positive decreases mortality rates by about 19%. Sudden death risks between smokers and non-smokers is 5-10% for comparison.
8. It decreases the chances of becoming a substance abuser.
9. Optimists are more likely to recover from disappointment more quickly.
10. Optimists are also more likely to be involved in problem solving.
For More on the topic of benefits and risk factors visit http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/?PageSpeed=noscript
Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions: People's daily experiences compile over time and become what we turn to as a reference for responses during different situations. Essentially how we respond over time creates certain mental habits for responses in the future. The more actively positive we are for longer periods of time, the more likely we are to respond with that mindset in the future. The same goes for being negative. To see more on what Barbara Frederickson wrote go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156028/ and read her original research on the topic! Lets discuss what positive thinking does for us.
1. It creates good feelings and a sense of wellbeing, even if it is only for a few moments. Sometimes that is all you need!
2. It helps us to open our minds to more possibilities to overcome the challenges of life.
3. Empowers you to be more confident.
4. Confidence, in turn, encourages skill building that we will use throughout our whole life.
5. It has shown to improve recovery from illness. Cancer patient recover more quickly when being optimistic.
6. Some studies have shown that optimism increases immunity by aiding in antibody production.
7. Being positive decreases mortality rates by about 19%. Sudden death risks between smokers and non-smokers is 5-10% for comparison.
8. It decreases the chances of becoming a substance abuser.
9. Optimists are more likely to recover from disappointment more quickly.
10. Optimists are also more likely to be involved in problem solving.
For More on the topic of benefits and risk factors visit http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/?PageSpeed=noscript
How Can I Be More Positive?
There are many ways to encourage ourselves to be more positive and ways we can practice being positive. Here are just a few suggestions.
1. Practice mindfulness. This is where we sit quietly and think about the circumstances in our lives and imagine positive outcomes around them. Doing this often will help you become more apt to think in a positive light before the negative.
2. Be around people who are positive and encouraging. We've all heard the very common phrase "misery loves company". Well, optimism loves company too and the good thinking kind of company!
3. Help those around you and be giving when you can with time or money.
4. Read encouraging books, magazines or websites! One site I love that is uplifting with nothing but good news is http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/.
5. Be aware of your negative thought and replace them with positive ones.
6. Encourage or say something kind to others.
7. Set realistic goals and work towards them.
8. Be thankful for what you have. Write down what you are thankful for. Even if it's just being healthy, breathing or having family. Sometimes we take the most important things for granted.
9. Write down 3 things that went well for you at the end of the day. For example, I had food in the house today, I am able to type and read this sentence, it was a beautiful sunny day and I didn't get bit by mosquitos! Take care of yourself! Be intentional about making time for things that make you happy!
1. Practice mindfulness. This is where we sit quietly and think about the circumstances in our lives and imagine positive outcomes around them. Doing this often will help you become more apt to think in a positive light before the negative.
2. Be around people who are positive and encouraging. We've all heard the very common phrase "misery loves company". Well, optimism loves company too and the good thinking kind of company!
3. Help those around you and be giving when you can with time or money.
4. Read encouraging books, magazines or websites! One site I love that is uplifting with nothing but good news is http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/.
5. Be aware of your negative thought and replace them with positive ones.
6. Encourage or say something kind to others.
7. Set realistic goals and work towards them.
8. Be thankful for what you have. Write down what you are thankful for. Even if it's just being healthy, breathing or having family. Sometimes we take the most important things for granted.
9. Write down 3 things that went well for you at the end of the day. For example, I had food in the house today, I am able to type and read this sentence, it was a beautiful sunny day and I didn't get bit by mosquitos! Take care of yourself! Be intentional about making time for things that make you happy!
SMILE!
Can smiling make you happier? Watch the following YouTube video and see what you think?