How Full is Your Glass?
Is your glass half-empty or half-full? The way you choose to answer this question about positive thinking just might reveal your outlook on life, your self confidence, and whether you're an optimist or a pessimist. Your answer might even affect your health!
Did you know that the positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. In fact, some studies show that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being.
BENEFITS OF OPTIMISM AND POSITIVE SELF TALK
Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.
Positive thinking often starts with self-talk.
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.
According to the Mayo Clinic, health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress
Greater resistance to the common cold
Better psychological and physical well-being
Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One 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 also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.
Turning negative thoughts into positive ones is not easy, because negative thoughts can bring strong emotions with them. Once more, negative thinking may also become a "habit" of sorts. But through time and practice, you can recognize when you are in a negative thinking pattern and form healthier habits of thinking positively, even under stress and during trying circumstances.
Based on information from Advent Health, our brain is our most powerful asset, and we must nurture it with positive, wholesome thoughts. This takes acknowledging that negativity is a choice and we hold the power to our thoughts. We can actively choose to look on the bright side, and replace pessimism with optimism. Actively and intentionally strengthening our positivity 'muscle' means it will become increasingly easier over time to naturally look at challenges or negative situations with a fresh perspective.
HOW CAN YOU DEVELOP A POSITIVE MINDSET?
1. Dealing With Negative Self-Talk
One of the biggest adversaries for a positive mindset is most often ourselves — and we plague our days with sentiments like:
“I’m terrible at this”
“I shouldn’t have even tried that”
“I could never make it that far”
“I’ll never accomplish this”
While these thoughts may seem like fleeting bits of cynicism, they can have lasting effects on our state of being. Over time, they may become cemented as internalized feelings or even beliefs, which may prevent you from living a productive and happy life.
Now, fixing negative self-talk is a simple concept, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It starts with identifying these moments in your mind when they pop up. If you notice that you’re belittling or discouraging yourself, take a moment to reflect on it. Once you’ve called attention to it, change the perspective, and attempt to redirect the negative self-talk into encouragement. Instead of saying, “I’ll never accomplish this” — try, “with enough practice, I’ll get there.”
It seems silly and minimal, but it can go a long way if practiced at every turn. Just like with any other feat in life, it takes practice. Dealing with negative self-talk is a step in the right direction, and will help you develop an overall positive mindset.
2. Mental Breakfast is the Most Important Meal
You’ve heard the saying; you know what it means. However, this is not about what you eat, but rather what you reaffirm within yourself every morning.
The start of each new day brings a breadth of opportunity. Your mornings set the tone — and positive affirmations can be a great addition to your morning routine. We mentioned the impact of negative self-talk above, and it can be especially demoralizing and derailing early on in the day. That’s why giving yourself positive self-talk and assurance in the morning is especially helpful — even if it seems strange. Anything from, “I’m going to have a good day” to “I’m amazing today” can help set the tone and give you the positive light you need to have a brighter, better day.
3. Rethinking Failure
Listen, failing at something isn’t any fun. Whether it’s a task at work, living up to an expectation, or simply making mistakes — we all crash and burn sometimes.
Well, it’s time to reframe the way we see failure because how we approach our shortcomings can have a real effect on our future. Failure is best understood when we think about it like a road diverged — and no, we’re not talking about Langston Hughes. Instead, we must look at failure as a pathway that leads to two separate destinations.
Failure can lead to apprehension to try again
Failure can teach us about what not to do
While the first outcome is quite limiting, the second is liberating. Reshaping failure to educate ourselves is the pathway forward while becoming scared to ever try again will stop us dead in our tracks. Far too often, we fixate on our shortcomings and misgivings — but these are moments that can be learned from and are an important part of life. Turn your failures into valuable lessons that you can learn and grow from.
4. Be Mindful of the Present
The present is a magical time. It’s a moment that is unappreciated — yet can help those struggling with a positive mindset find clarity. When we’re talking about the present, we don’t mean today — we mean the exact moment you’re in. One of the reasons why those who meditate are able to have some semblance of “peace of mind” is their understanding of the present.
Many external issues that hinder our ability to connect with a positive mindset make use of our inability to live in the present. What your boss said that made you upset, the guy that cut you off on the way home from work, the big deadline at the end of the week — these are issues that fall outside of the present.
Learning how to focus on an individual moment and suspend yourself in what is going on at that exact time can be extremely freeing. We’re constantly fighting off thoughts about the past or worries about the future, but in a brief moment — you’re able to find the perspective you need.
5. Use Support Channels
Developing a positive mindset doesn’t need to be a solo venture. Friends, family members, classmates, coworkers, mentors, and more can all help mold your mindset for the better — so long as they’re supportive.
