In this age of conflict, controversy, and chaos,
it can be difficult to keep an optimistic outlook. Many people go about their
daily lives in an unpleasant mood, holding other people or consequences outside
of their control responsible, and thinking that there is nothing they can do to
change their situation. Every individual has the power to make a difference in his
or her own life and the lives of those around them through positive thoughts,
words, and actions. Conscious changes in attitude can help someone take control
of a negative experience and at least change the affect that it has on the
individual, if not alter the situation itself for the better. As Lauryn Hill suggests
in Everything is Everything, “Develop
a negative into a positive picture” (Lyrics).
It may seem obvious, but there are numerous
benefits to a positive outlook. According to Henrik Edberg of The
Positivity Blog, being more positive can help improve relationships, boost
charisma, increase productivity, and generally create a better world around
oneself. Delightful first impressions set the foundation for how people are
perceived throughout relationships, and a positive outlook helps people to
focus on the good in others as well. Typically, optimistic people are more
openly received and liked by others, as they are more pleasant to be around and
make others feel good about themselves, which in turn makes the individual feel
good and increases self-confidence (in turn increasing apparent attractiveness).
When negative thoughts are not acting as speed bumps, everyday activities are
more enjoyable, causing productivity to flow naturally. As the Law of
Attraction states, whatever a person thinks about will be attracted into that
person’s life; A positive person attracts other positive people as well as
positive opportunities (Edberg).
Scientific and psychological research has proven
that positive (as well as negative) thinking can have a physical effect on the
human body. On the Affirmative Thinking website, Komarraju Venkata Vinay quotes several physicians, scientists, and specialists proving that thoughts cause chemical changes to the
body’s nervous system, immune system, and brain chemistry. For example, Dr Joe
Dispenza says “nerve cells that fire together wire together.” Emotions
expressed on a daily basis, such as anger, frustration, or sorrow, over time
create a relationship between the related nerve cells, called an identity, that
become accustom to automatically responding to stimuli in a negative manner. These relationships, however, can be interrupted by purposefully observing and changing this thought process, in turn breaking their bond (Venkata Vinay). Dr. Caroline Leaf states that 87% to 95% of illnesses are a direct result of thought life. “It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions” (Venkata Vinay).
In an altogether different type of study, Dr.
Masaru Emoto, actually substantiates the effect of positive thinking through
the creation of water crystals under different circumstances, such as being
exposed to positive or negative music, photos, or words. Incredibly, Emoto
freezes water labeled with positive or negative words and the resulting crystals
display a distinct difference, reflecting the nature of the words. Water that
was exposed to positive messages form ornate, pristine crystals, while water
with negative words create distorted, flawed formations. “The fact that the
human body is up to 60% water compounds the importance of Dr. Masaru Emoto's
findings about the power of negative thinking and the energy of thoughts”
(Power of Thoughts). While it may not be possible to test these results on
water in the human body (of course water can’t quite be frozen in a living
person), it does however demonstrate the power of positive words. In his book The Hidden Messages in Water, Emoto discusses
negating negative emotions by emitting an opposite emotion. “By combining two
opposite waves, the negative emotion disappears” (Emoto 73). Some of these
opposing emotions are gratitude for hate, kindness for anger, courage for fear,
peace of mind for anxiety, and presence of mind for pressure. Emoto also
proposes that many health problems are a result of negative emotions. Ridding underlying
negativity can help with recovering from illness. “The importance of being
positive cannot be underestimated” (Emoto 77).
Along with restoring health, studies show that
optimism may also decreases stress, lower rates of depression, lengthen life
span, boost resistance to sickness, and increase overall mental and physical
well-being. Some reasons that people with a positive outlook tend to live
healthier lifestyles are that they are able to better cope with stressful
situations, are more involved with physical activity, have healthier eating
habits, and don’t excessively smoke or drink alcohol as much as those with a negative
outlook. One way to enhance positive thinking skills is to understand self-talk.
The article Stress Management defines self-talk as the “endless stream of
unspoken thoughts that run through [a person’s] head every day.” The positive
or negative nature of these thoughts establishes the person’s general outlook. Some
examples of negative self-talk are: focusing on imperfections (“I can’t believe
I forgot that one detail today.”), self-blame (“My friends cancelled plans
because they don’t want to be around me.”), anticipating the worst (“This trip
is going to be such a pain.”), and polarizing (“If I’m not perfect, I’m a
failure.”). Examples of positive self-talk are: identifying opportunities (“How
could I improve the way I do this?”), self-encouragement (“If I believe in
myself, others will believe in me as well.”), plan for the best (“This road
trip is going to be a terrific journey.”), and being open to humor (“One day, I’ll
look back and laugh at this.”) Other tips for implementing a positive attitude
are reflecting on thoughts throughout the day, exercising regularly, eating a
healthy diet, spending time with positive people, and being gentle in
evaluating oneself. Making an outlook transformation from negative to positive is
not an easy change, but with practice, one’s self-talk will “contain less
self-criticism and more self-acceptance,” causing one to be “able to handle
everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability may contribute to the
widely observed health benefits of positive thinking” (Stress Management).
As important as it is to have an optimistic
outlook, it takes actual action to really make a difference, especially when it
comes to improving living or occupational circumstances. In the words of David
Mack, “Positive thinking is great. It's a nice first step. But if you don't do
the ‘Positive Doing’, it only takes you so far” (Mack 18). The ideas behind
positive thinking should be put into action while fresh on the mind and most
powerful. If a person is getting ready to go on a long road trip, thinking
about the trip going well is not going to make it happen; Action must be taken
to pack, start the car, and make the journey, while hopefully maintaining that preliminary
positive attitude. Several factors can help an individual put ideas into action:
do not wait for perfect conditions (chances are that there will always be
something out of place), practice being a doer (take action on new ideas
instead of allowing them to simmer), overcome fear with action (typically the
hardest part is getting started), manually start the creative engine (stimulate
the flow of ideas instead of waiting for inspiration to strike), and focus on
the present (do not let ideas of the past or future overcome attention to the current
moment). Instead of waiting for the best time or some other outside indication
to take action, “seize the initiative” (Falconer).
Although the world is not always a beautiful
place, and there is sickness and sorrow in abundance, it is still possible to
overcome negativity in one’s life and surroundings. This does not mean living
in denial and ignoring unpleasant situations. Positive living empowers people
to take control and deal with difficult situations in a constructive manner.
Even slipping out of the positive attitude can be a learning experience in how
to better handle similar circumstances in the future. Understanding the power
that one has over his or her own happiness and health through positive thought
and action can not only improve the quality of life for that individual, but
also raises the spirits of others. Positivity attracts positivity. People who consciously
make an effort to be positive naturally gravitate towards others who help enforce
this idea. Projected optimism, even in
the form of a gentle smile, is like a yawn, it can be contagious.
Resources:
“Lauryn Hill Lyrics.” MTV.
nd. Web. 10 April 2012 http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/hill_lauryn/lyrics.jhtml
Edberg, Henrik. “Take the Positivity Challenge.” The Positivity
Blog. nd. Web. 08 April 2012.
Venkata Vinay, Komarraju. “Proof.” Affirmative Thinking. nd. Web. 08 April 2012.
“Dr. Masaru Emoto: The Power Of
Thoughts.” Positive Thinking Principles. nd. Web. 08 April 2012. http://www.positive-thinking-principles.com/dr-masaru-emoto.html
Emoto, Masaru. The Hidden Messages in Water. Atria Books, New York. 2001. Print
Mayo Clinic Staff. “Stress Management.”
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. nd. Web. 08 April 2012.
Mack, David. Kabuki: The Alchemy, Part Seven. Marvel Publishing, New York. July
2006. Print.
Falconer, Erin. “7 Ways to Grow the
Action Habit.” PickTheBrain. nd. Web. 13 April 2012.
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