Positive thinking practices are getting more and more popular

Positive thinking is a key part of effective stress management and part of a science called positive psychology. Studies show personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of health and wellbeing. Everybody can learn positive thinking skills and techniques! Are you curious to find out more?

Let's dive in!

Before talking about positive thinking techniques and best practices we should focus on what happens to our brain when something bad happens to us. Whether we have a positive or negative attitude towards life, we all react in the same way when something negative occurs: 1. We believe we have no ability to change the situation we are in 2. We think we are powerless and no matter what we do, everything will go even worse. When negative thoughts are played repeatedly in the mind, it adversely impacts a person's mental and emotional state. It stresses the subject and can cause worry and lead to extreme cases of anxiety. To counteract such debilitating thoughts we should challenge the negativity and start looking for a solution instead of drowning into sadness. Instead of minimising our capacity to problem solve, we should all take a deep breath and take control of our own thought. We should try to convert them into something good. Positive thinking has to kick in. Yes, exactly. We do have control over our own thinking. We are constantly exercising this mind power, whether we realise it or not. However we direct our minds, it influences our lives in many ways. In relation to mental health, the thoughts we have can either build or destroy us. It takes time and continuous practice to get better but it is possible to cultivate the beneficial habit of positive thinking.

What does positive thinking mean, then?

It just means approaching unpleasantness in a more positive, productive way. Training yourself to think that the best thing is going to happen, not the worst. Think about positive thinking as a skill you can learn and benefit from rather than a personality trait you either have or you don't.

How to get there:

1. Practice positive self-talk: positive thinking often starts talking ourselves out negative states of mind.

2. Follow a healthy lifestyle: you should exercise at least 30 minutes every day and eat healthy food.

3. Surround yourself with positive people 4. Enjoy some solo time, take care of yourself. Face masks, wheat warmers, eye masks or essential oils are great to help building a positive environment around you.

Conclusion

Your thoughts form your character, how you operate in the world, how far you travel mentally, physically and spiritually. You are what you think you are, and all of your actions proceed from thought. One of the oldest precepts of neuroscience has been that our mental processes originate from brain activity. Basically, our brain is in charge when it comes to creating and shaping our mind. However, more recent research has shown that it can also work the other way around: that focused, repetitive mental activity can affect changes in our brain's structure, wiring, and capabilities. The actions we take can literally expand or contract different regions of the brain, firing up circuits or tamping them down. Start thinking happy thoughts, looking at the bright side of things. Refocus your brain when negative thoughts occur. Your mind has the ability to determine how your brain thinks about what happens in your life! Use it to your own advantage to reframe events and think positively.