In order for us to continue providing great, free content, this post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission on at no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure.
Most of us have heard that positive thinking can bring success and have other powerful impacts on your life. In fact, there is a great amount of successful people, actors, musicians, and entrepreneurs that claim positive thinking was a major tool they used in order to get where they are now. But what exactly does positive thinking do to your body, your brain and your life?
1. Enables You To Deal With Stress Better
Have you ever thought, what could I do to be more resilient and handle stress more effectively? Well, starting today you can think more positively. Positive thinking has been proven to help people deal with stress better and lower their levels of distress. This is because people who practice positive thinking have developed coping skills. First identify negative thinking, this can be hard at first especially if a lot of your “self-talk” is negative. When you notice yourself thinking something negative, flip it to something positive, like something good about you or something you’re thankful for in your life. Before you know it you will be talking to yourself more positively and you’ll develop these coping skills that will prepare you to deal with stress better. Imagine how much more productive and efficient you can be with your time if you can handle stress better.
2. Improves Your Health
Positive thinking has significant effects on the mind and the body. It has been shown to provide increased resistance to the common cold, so simply thinking more positively can improve your immune system! Moreover, positive thinking can improve cardiovascular health and decrease your risk of death from cardiovascular disease. It is unbelievable that making some changes to your lifestyle and self-care can improve your heart health. So why isn’t everyone thinking more positively? Well you can start today. Try to identify areas of your life that you think negatively about, whether it is work, family, friends or your commute. Then try to find the silver lining and change your perspective to a more positive one over time. An improved immune system and a healthier heart will enable you to achieve your work and your personal goals.
3. Helps You Achieve Your Goals
What is the biggest obstacle standing in your way from achieving your goals? Yourself. Self-doubt is standing between you and the finish line. So turn your self-doubt into self-confidence. Of course this will take time – it won’t happen overnight and it may feel like it will be impossible to do. But you can do it. Positive thinking will help you reframe your perspective from what you can’t do to what you can do. It will give you the confidence to take action and work toward your dreams. Each morning try to make your first thought of the day a positive one. Think “today will be a great day” or “today will be filled with opportunities” or “today I will take one step closer to achieving my goals.” Learn about other habits that will make you more successful. Determination, persistence, and positive thoughts are the keys to success.
4. Lowers Rates of Depression
About 7% of the US adult population suffers from depression and the number of children affected by depression or depressive episodes are increasing. Depression can be treated with medication and therapy, but what if there is something we could do to lower our chances of being depressed? Or lower your children’s chances? Luckily, you’re reading the right article. Positive thinking has also been proven to lower rates of depression! Something you can do and you can teach your kids to do is to check yourself periodically throughout the day. Evaluate your thoughts and if you’re thinking negatively put a positive spin on your thoughts. Think of a joke or just smile.
5. Increases Your Lifespan
After learning about all of these life-changing effects of positive thinking it’s no wonder that positive thinking can increase your lifespan. Make a commitment to take some of these steps to think more positively – think of it as an investment in your future. Positive thinking improves your psychological and physical well-being and can truly add years to your life. One last tip to start thinking more positively is to surround yourself with positive people. If you find that you are struggling to remain positive when you’re with someone, then consider who in your life is it easy to be with and encourages positive thinking. Tell your friends and family about your new commitment to positive thinking and encourage them to join you. Success is a mindset and with a healthier mind and body from positive thinking you can reach for the stars.
To learn more about positive thinking and how it can impact your life, we recommend that you read one of our favorite books, The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Achor.
Have you ever heard of the growth mindset? It is the belief that a person’s talents can be developed. Read our article to learn more, Growth Mindset: The Secret To Personal Success.
Financial freedom begins with good habits.
Rebecca & Tiago, theloadedpig.com