Is your glass half empty or half full? How we answer to this question may reflect the way we see life, our attitude, the way we think, and whether we are optimistic or pessimistic. Thinking that our glass is half full means that we have a positive attitude; on the contrary, thinking our glass is half empty means we have a negative attitude.
Having a positive attitude towards life and positive thinking have many health benefits and help us manage stress in a better way.
What is positive thinking?
It’s a mental attitude where we expect positive and favorable outcomes. This doesn’t mean that we ignore the difficult situations that inevitably arise, but rather that we react to them with a positive attitude and this makes us more productive, and helps us find solutions and act in the best possible way.
Positive thinking generally starts with the way we speak to ourselves, with the thoughts that constantly pass through our heads. If our thoughts are generally negative, the way we see life is pessimistic; if our thoughts are generally positive, the way we see life is optimistic.
What are the benefits of positive thinking?
- Increased life expectancy
- Decreases depression
- Reduces distress
- Helps manage stress
- Improves heart health
- Allows us to deal with difficult situations in a better way
- Improves general well-being, both physical and psychological
How do I change negative thoughts for positive thoughts?
- Identify the areas in which you normally think negatively, such as work, relationships, traffic, among others.
- Evaluate the way you think. If you realize that most of your thoughts are negative, try to change them and turn them into positive, little by little. If you have a negative thought, just evaluate it and think about all the beautiful things in your life and be grateful for them.
- Practice talking nicely to yourself, be kind, encourage and treat yourself nicely. Celebrate all your achievements, even the small ones. Don’t tell yourself what you wouldn’t say to other people.
- Surround yourself with positive people who motivate, accompany and help you on your way to wellness.
- Keep a healthy lifestyle, exercise and eat healthy. This will contribute to your general well-being, positively affect your mood and help you reduce stress.
- Instead of saying: “I can’t, I have never done this before”, change it to: “I’m going to do my best. This is an opportunity to learn.”
- Instead of saying: “I don’t have enough time to do everything I have to do”, change it to: “I am going to organize myself better, prioritize important tasks and delegate what can be done by someone else.”
- Instead of saying: “I’m always wrong”, change It to “I do a lot of things right.”
- Instead of saying: “I’m never going to be good at my job”, change it to: “I’m going to do my best.”
There are a lot of negative thoughts that come to our minds. Let’s identify them and change them. Little by little, with practice, we’ll become more optimistic, our thoughts will be more positive, we’ll criticize ourselves less, and accept ourselves more. This will improve our well-being and will make us live happier and fuller lives.
Think and talk to yourself nicely!