According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking lowers stress levels and improves physical and psychological well-being. While more studies are needed to establish definitive connections between positive thinking and health, the Mayo Clinic reports that current research links positive thinking to lower levels of depression and stress and good coping skills. Turning negative thoughts into positive ones takes practice and commitment.
Self-Talk Analysis
Self-talk describes the constant thoughts, words or ideas that are constantly streaming through a person's mind. Observing your own thoughts is an important way to learn if they are positive or negative forms of self-talk. Writing down negative thoughts and creating a counter positive response is a way to practice positive thinking and derail negative thoughts. According to Mayo Clinic, there are four different types of negative self-talk. A person who filters thoughts only pays attention to negative details while ignoring positive ones. Personalizing self-talk occurs when someone places blame on herself whenever something bad happens, regardless of what caused it. Polarizing self-talk is black and white and does not leave room for error. You are either right or wrong. Catastrophizing self-talk assumes that a minor mistake will lead to major mishaps throughout the rest of the day. For example, if a woman is late for work and she tells herself that the rest of her day is ruined, she is engaging in catastrophizing self-talk. To turn her negative thoughts into positive thinking, she should write down the negative response and create a positive one. For example, after writing her negative response and her feeling that her day is ruined, she counters it with positive thinking: she writes that she is disappointed that she is late, she is glad that it is because she got to spend extra minutes with her daughter.
Positive Thinking
A Sept. 2, 2003 "New York Times" article, titled " Power of Positive Thinking May Have a Health Benefit, Study Says," reports the findings of a 2003 University of Wisconsin study. Participants whose brain activity was linked to negative emotions experienced a weaker immune response to the flu shot than participants whose brain activity indicated positive emotions. According to the article, the results suggest that positive thinking influences positive feelings which in turn may affect physical health. The Mayo Clinic recommends practicing positive self-talk to improve positive thinking and influence personal health. Recognizing your personal accomplishments, what you value about yourself and treating yourself with respect promotes positive thinking. To do this, set aside a period of time each day to list at least five personal characteristics or accomplishments that you are proud of. Read the list on a regular basis to ingrain the positive thoughts into your mind.
Exercise, Food and Friends
According to the Mayo Clinic, three days of exercise a week lowers stress levels and improves mood--two factors that influence positive thinking. Additionally, Mayo Clinic recommends eating a balanced diet that nourishes the mind and body. A healthy diet includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fat and lean sources of protein and dairy. Surround yourself with positive people who provide examples on ways to think positively during different situations. For example, talking to a friend who has a positive outlook on relationships may influence or change negative thoughts that you may have about relationships.
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