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The Crossroads Journal

The benefits of positive thinking

By Celeste Bingham
Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude. Those that practice this thinking try to focus on the bright side of life and expects positive results. To use positive thinking in your life, you need more than just to be aware of its existence, you need to adopt the attitude of positive thinking in everything you do. Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

Here are a few suggestions for trying to become a positive thinker.
1.Do nice things for others, even if you don't feel like it. When we focus on others we aren't thinking of ourselves.
2. Avoid negative influences. There is some truth to what your parents said to you in high school about being careful about the friends you surround yourself with. Those around us can influence our outlook, good or bad.
3. Use positive words in your inner dialogues, or when talking with others. If you keep beating yourself up, sooner or later you will believe the words you are saying.
4. Keeping a journal is therapeutic. To help release those negative thoughts at the end of the day write down the three things that didn't go as expecting and what happened. Then write the 3 things that did go well that day. This will help you with ending on a positive note and still being able to release those negative experiences.
5. Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's work, your daily commute or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way.
6.Let yourself relax. Relaxation is an important part of recharging our "batteries". If you have vacation hours at work, use them. Find things that are free and bring you joy, from a walk to sitting on your porch reading a book. Taking a break isn't a sign of weakness. It says you are self aware and able to do what you need to stay healthy.

There is research being done on positive thinking and health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include: increased life span, lower rates of depression, better cardiovascular health and even better coping skills during hardships and times of stress. It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. The theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's not always easy to be positive, but you have the choice to start thinking positive and making small changes, It will take time and work.
The community news source for Eagle Mountain Utah, Saratoga Springs Utah, Lehi Utah, American Fork Utah, Highland Utah, Alpine Utah, and The Cedar Valley, including Cedar Fort Utah and Fairfield Utah. Copyright 2024 The Crossroads Journal LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 


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