“Optimism is a
happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be
drawn to you.” - Mary Lou Retton
Research has discovered the power of
positive thought. The power of the Universal Law of Attraction so aptly
summarized in the quote by Olympics Gold Medal Winner Mary Lou Retton, is a
true aid to managing stress and optimizing your physical well being .
It should come as no surprise that positive thoughts can
help us get and stay healthy.
Empirical research has found that there
are many positive health benefits associated with positive thinking and
optimistic attitudes.
The Mayo Clinic found that positive
thinking is linked to a wide range of health benefits including:
- Better psychological health
- Increased sense of well-being
- Lower depressions rates
- Reduced stress
- Longer life span
- Better stress management and coping skills
- Lower risks of cardiovascular disease-related death
- Increased resistance to the common cold
In a study of 1,550 older adults, the results showed that
positive thinking also reduced frailty in the geriatric population.
How can you help yourself to think positive thoughts? One of the first steps to take is to learn to
pay attention to your own self-talk. When you do this, do you encourage and
find the things you like best about yourself? Or are you self-sabotaging and
focusing on everything you dislike about yourself? Begin intentionally focusing on good things,
good words and good feelings about who you are.
Affirmations can be a useful tool to begin shifting your
focus from negative thoughts and self-talk to positive thoughts and self-talk.
Write several positive statements about yourself or about your life. Keep it
simple. Maybe you love your hair or you love your ability to help other
people. Once you begin looking for
positive things about yourself, you will start to discover more and more things
you like.
Keep an affirmations journal where you can write down your
positive thoughts. If you are having
difficulty coming up with something positive to say to yourself, read through
your journal and reflect on all the positive things you have already written
and focus on one of those entries for the day.
Search online for affirmation or buy a book of affirmations.
As you read them, notice which ones really feel good when you read them. Think
about why they feel good. Do they fit you now or do they feel good because the
affirmation is something you really want to be a part of your life in the
future?
