A positive attitude can be beneficial in many ways for both the individual who adopts a positive attitude and those around the individual. A positive attitude can lead to having positive thoughts and doing positive actions, which in turn can affect an individual's health, confidence and success.
Attitude and Environment
People with positive attitudes are more fun to be around than people who are depressed or angry. One benefit of maintaining a positive attitude is that it will attract the company of others. Because social behaviors such as smiling or frowning often prompt others to do the same, a negative attitude will generate negative behavior in others. A positive attitude will work in the same way, infusing social environments such as families, workplaces and other social groups with healthy and positive behavior.
Self-Confidence and Success
In an article on the impact of positive thinking at WiseGeek.com, Tricia Ellis-Christensen notes that a person with a positive attitude will have better self-confidence, and more confident people suffer from fewer doubts and stresses that can often be the causes of failure. She also observes the practice of positive visualization, in which practitioners visualize themselves as successful in their chosen fields and, over time, find that their actual levels of success begin to mirror those of their positive visualizations.
Health Benefits
Negative thoughts, emotions and attitudes can physically affect the body by encouraging the production of stress hormones. Under stress and other negative influences, physical and mental illnesses such as ulcers or chronic depression can develop or worsen. A positive attitude prevents an abundance of stress hormones in the body, and helps to reduce or remove factors like stress which can contribute to poor health.
Positive Attitude as a Life Skill
In one example of a lifestyle centered around--and benefited by--positive thinking, Dr. Tamar Chansky lists having positive and realistic goals, avoiding negative self-talk and clearly identifying which problems are controllable as some important positive thinking strategies. Awareness of strengths and weaknesses, some flexibility in definitions of success and an ability to learn from mistakes are also important aspects of positive thinking, as are active and sincere displays of generosity and gratitude toward others.
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