HealthTip: Starting to Think Positively

So if you're a little like me, and you've read the previous post and are thinking that you're a pessimist and you're doomed, please don't raise your stress levels! If you're motivated, you can learn to change your negative thoughts into positive thinking. However, this type of change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time and practice because it involves developing a new habit. Some ways to think and behave more positively would include:

• Check In: a few times during the day, consciously evaluate if what you're thinking is positive or negative. If your thoughts are negative, try to change a negative into a positive!
• Let the Humor In: allow yourself to smile, laugh, especially during stressful times. Find a reason to smile and laugh everyday!
• Healthy Lifestyle: exercising regularly can release hormones that positively affect mood and decrease stress. Along with exercise, a healthy, balanced diet can fuel your mind and body. Learning new ways to manage stress (e.g. 25 minute power nap or 5-10 minutes of deep breathing) could help you relax and feel positive.
• Surround Yourself with Positive People: try to make sure that the people around you are positive, supportive, and dependable. Negative people may increase your stress levels and make it more difficult for you to manage your stress in healthy ways.
• Practice Positive Self-Talk: Be kind and encouraging to yourself. One simple rule to follow could be to not say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to someone you care about. If you find negative thoughts entering your mind, evaluate them, and try to shift your focus to thoughts about your strengths.

If you focus on developing these skills everyday, positive thinking may start to come naturally to you. Optimism gives yourself and those around you an emotional boost, and will give you the tools to deal with everyday stresses more constructively.
So why not try this positive thinking idea out as your own experiment? The only side-effect could be that you simply smile, laugh, or enjoy your days a bit more than usual!

Information Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009