​The Power of Positive Thinking

The mind is a powerful tool and just the act of thinking positively can change your emotions, improve your health and your relationships, and foster your ability to achieve your goals. People who have a generally positive mindset typically enjoy greater success and find more pleasure in the small things in life. Their relationships are stronger, they handle trials more easily, and they often experience better overall health than negative thinkers. This is the power of positive thinking and you should get you some!

What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking is the act of viewing situations as manageable or beneficial instead of impossible or detrimental. It means visualizing the best possible outcome instead of the worst. Thinking positively also involves approaching matters cheerfully and with good humor rather than with cranky pants and pouty lips.

By thinking positively and expressing gratitude for the half of the glass that's full, you'll address your problems with a can-do attitude, which will considerably reduce your general stress and anxiety. Your relationships will thrive when you focus on the positive and let the inconsequential negatives fall away like dead leaves on a winter tree. Your accomplishments will be sweeter, your mood more stable, and your life a little brighter. Oh, and people will like you a lot more.

Now, keep in mind that having an optimistic mindset doesn't mean you're all rainbows and unicorns 24/7. It simply means that you're choosing to see the good in various situations and work to make the bad better rather than become overwhelmed and angered by difficult circumstances.

What are the benefits of positive thinking?

Being a positive thinker has numerous proven general benefits, including better health, healthier relationships, more satisfaction with your job, and an increase in overall happiness and feelings of well being. To get more specific:

Medical Advantages - thinking positively reduces stress hormone levels in your body. Stress is a major component of poor health, but reduced stress levels lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. Additionally, thinking positively can give your immune system a boost as well, further protecting you from illness and even fatigue. Finally, positive thinkers suffer less from depression and similar mood disorders because they refuse to be mired under the negative side of a situation, but rather look for a way out and then pursue it.

Productivity Advantages - positive thinkers tend to be more productive in their daily lives, largely due to the absence of the heavy, dark weight of negative energy.

Relationship Advantages - other people are naturally drawn to those with a cheerful, positive attitude, which can land you more friends and richer social experiences, both of which are considered important for enjoying a fulfilling life. Also, Relationships are stronger when approached with a positive attitude, because others are more likely to invest more time with you when you're an upper rather than a downer.

Presentation - positive people make better first impressions, which pays off at interviews and social and business encounters.

Great News: Positive Thinking Can Be Learned!

Unfortunately, there is no switch you can flip on to get yourself a positive attitude. But becoming a positive thinker can be done with consistent training of your mind. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Be mindful of negative thoughts, and immediately counter them with positive ones.
• Practice finding the good/best in even the all situations.
• Envision success rather than failure – play it like a movie in your mind.
• Eliminate the words "I can't" from your vocabulary.
• Befriend positive people – their attitudes are infectious.
• Exercise regularl – People who are physically active tend to think more positively than those who don't.
• Eat a healthy diet – junk food deflates the psyche.

Becoming a positive thinker doesn't happen overnight. But putting forth the effort is well worth it. With a positive mindset, life is easier and more pleasurable, and you'll be able to dodge curve balls better and handle your emotions more effectively.

Have a great day!