The Power of Positive Thinking

Does positive thinking work?  Can something as simple as thinking positively about things really make you feel better and become more productive?  Can the power of positive thinking actually attract happy people to you?   In my opinion and personal experience the answer is most definitely YES.  This does not of course mean that people with severe depressive illness can simply think it away, but changing the way you think about things is part of that journey towards changing your reactions

If we go through our life looking ahead for problems and situations that cause stress and anxiety, then we are actually imagining how bad this future event might make us feel!!  We find then that we are feeling stressed and anxious right now, whilst we are imagining this possible future!! 

Are you feeling stressed and anxious right now, whilst only imagining a possible future?

Plan your future positively with achievable outcomes 

TAKE CONTROL

and see the change

Negative thinking is a habit you have learnt

 it can be changed

Stress and anxiety can cause many physical problems including poor immune systems

Invest in yourself for a happy positive future

 YOU ARE

 WORTH IT.

Now, forward planning is useful as long as it is done with positive thoughts of success with achievable outcomes. 

However, negative thinking - when you plan yourself in a future filled with anxiety when everything goes wrong - is no use at all. 

If you go through your life looking for these imagined scenarios and they don’t happen, then do you congratulate yourself on how well it went (probably not), or do you move on immediately to the next imagined scenario.  If you are stuck in a habit of negative thinking (and yes that is usually all it is – a habit) this is generally the case.

Then you never allow yourself to enjoy the moment or the experience, never truly celebrating your successes; because you are too busy looking for the next thing to worry about

Ten things you can do NOW to break the negative thinking habit.

1.                  When you wake up in the morning think of something that makes you feel good.

2.                  Pay a genuine compliment to someone, even a stranger, watch how it makes them feel good, and know that you helped them to feel that way.

3.                  Accept compliments given to you – stop talking yourself down, just thank the person and reflect on the fact that they wanted to compliment you and enjoy it.

4.                  Look at what you are wearing. There is a thought that colours reflect your mood.  For instance, if you wear dark colours then you may always feel in a dark mood.  Change to a brighter colour top or tie, or even some bright and cheerful jewellery.

5.                  Watch your posture.  Stand/sit up straight, shoulders back, head in the air aligned with your spine.  Walking in a more confident way makes you appear more open and relaxed.  Try it and see how different it makes you feel.  Notice that change, isn’t it good?  You can choose to feel that good at any time just by adjusting your posture, and feeling good makes you think more positively by association.

6.                  Smile – it sounds simple.  It is.  Now I don’t mean that you have to walk around with a silly grin on your face 24 hours 7 days a week (unless you feel that good!).  But smile at people, they will usually respond by smiling back and that positive energy is then multiplied.  You can also feel good by knowing that smiling uses fewer muscles in your face so you are preventing wrinkles from appearing as well!

7.                 Breathe deeply – again another fairly simple one, but when we are tense or agitated or feeling down, our breathing becomes very shallow which results in you feeling tired and drained.  Take a deep breath consciously now, notice how good it is to feed your lungs, and brain by this simple action.  In addition you will find yourself feeling more energetic, and finding positivity in the now becomes less of a chore.

8.                 Find the silver lining in challenging situations.  It may be that you have learnt something from the experience, or that it wasn’t as bad as you thought it was going to be.  There is usually some good even if it is challenging to find.

9.                 Stop imagining the worst case. Imagine the best case scenario instead.  What if it all went well?  How good would you feel then?  Enjoy that feeling instead.

10.             At the end of the day before going to sleep, reflect on the good things that you have felt, done or said.  Make the thoughts positive such as “I smiled at someone today and they smiled back and it felt good”

If you find that you are still finding it hard breaking the negative thinking habit, and that thinking positive thoughts is too difficult, then it may be time to re-assess yourself.  Perhaps there are some people or events holding you back and which you need to deal with first in order to move forward positively with the rest of your life. 

If so, then invest in yourself and your future – you are worth it.  Speak to me and help me to guide you to a positive future.  There is no shame in asking for help – you would not hesitate to employ an electrician to make sure your home is safely wired, so seeking help from someone trained to help you have a healthier, happier future is worthwhile

Deal with things, don’t leave them to fester and make yourself miserable for the rest of your life.  Take back control of yourself, and be proud you have the courage to choose to do so.

If you would like to speak to me regarding how I can help please call Cherie on 07900 352324