Pessimism impacts your physical and mental health. People who think negatively, feel hopeless instead of empowered, automatically see the worst in any situation and are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and physical problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. Understanding positive thinking and incorporating it into your life can make a difference in your mood and physical well-being.
Self-Talk
The Mayo Clinic reports that self-talk refers to the automatic thoughts that pop up and run through your head on a regular basis. Some of your thoughts are logical and would make sense if spoken out loud, but others are probably irrational and negative. The National Mental Health Information Center reports that many people get negative messages from their childhood and carry these messages with them through life. For instance, you might develop low self-esteem after being told that you're stupid by friends and family members. If you experience mostly negative self-talk, you're pessimistic. If you have mostly positive self-talk, you're already practicing positive thinking.
Benefits
People who are optimistic and practice positive thinking have better coping skills, lower rates of depression and distress, and a greater resistance to the common cold. The Mayo Clinic reports that researchers are unsure why positive thinking provides these health benefits and improves people's chances of living longer lives. It could be due to their ability to deal with stress in healthy ways, limiting the toll it takes on their health or that those who think positively practice healthy habits.
Misconceptions
You might picture hippies and people who ignore life's problems when you hear the term positive thinking. However, among mental health professionals, positive thinking is a phrase used to describe a process of coping with stress in healthy ways and dealing with circumstances with a positive outlook. It's a major concept that all therapists and counselors use regularly to help their clients.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most common form of therapy used in treating many mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapists work with their clients to help them understand how their thoughts--positive and negative--affect their emotions and behaviors. Clients are expected to monitor their self-talk and turn negative self-talk into positive thinking. Many people lower their levels of depression or anxiety by changing their thinking. It's not easy to do. That's why so many people seek the help of mental health professionals. It takes time and daily practice.
Practicing Positive Thinking
If you want to benefit from positive thinking, surround yourself with optimistic people, exercise regularly, find humor in the little things and stop blaming yourself for things out of your control. Start analyzing your thoughts on regular basis. When you find yourself thinking negatively, ask yourself if your thought is logical. Don't focus on things that are out of your control and look at difficult situations as a way to learn something new.
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