Our minds are as malleable as clay.

Our thoughts, which are our interpretations of the things that happen around us (and to us) have more power than we might think. Have you ever noticed feeling drained after being around negative people? We feel drained because negative people create negative thoughts, and negative thoughts weigh heavily on our hearts.  

Our bodies are directly affected by our thoughts.  

Proverbs 14:30 says, “A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body, But passion and envy are like rottenness to the bones.” This isn’t just theory, researchers now believe that positive people may be better protected against the inflammatory damages that occur under regular stress. On the other side of the coin, research has also shown that negative emotions can weaken the immune response. Hope and positivity help us to make better health decisions, wiser lifestyle decisions and even increase focus on long-term goals. 

The best way to protect ourselves from negative emotions by setting up defenses against them. The best way to Combat negativity is with positivity. “As a man thinketh, within himself so is he.” -Proverbs 23:7 By cultivating a positive mindset, we can ensure that our hearts and mind are well prepared for any situation that life may throw at us. Here are seven tips on how you can cultivate a positive mindset. Be sure to download and print our tip PDF and put it somewhere visible so that you can remind yourself daily about these important strategies. 

Benefits of Positivity

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of stress 
• Stronger immune system
• Better cardiovascular health
• Lower risk of heart disease
• Better coping skills during hardship or times of stress 

Practice Makes Perfect 

We have the power to change negative thinking patterns into positive ones due to the fact that our minds are so malleable. Doing this takes time and practice, especially if we tend to revert to the comfort zone that is negative thinking. Just like with anything else, practice makes perfect. The more you consciously choose to think about the world in a positive manner, the easier it will be for this to become second nature. Your mind will adapt to thinking about the world positively, and you will be healthier, happier, and more able to share the best version of yourself with the rest of the world. Here are seven tips to help you get there: 

Recipe for a Positive Mindset

1. Quiet Time – Try using the 10/10/10 Rule. 10 minutes of reading, 10 minutes of journaling, and 10 minutes of reflection or meditation each morning.
2. Positive Affirmation – Declare blessings and affirmations over yourself and your family.
3. Plan For the Best – Engage your imagination for good, assuming the best for each part of your day. Create positive neural pathways and it gets easier to think positively.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive People – Add positive influences to your life. Positive people can rub off on you, just like negative ones. 
5. Get a Mentor or Counselor – As an Altrua HealthShare Member, you and anyone in your household have access to work with a licensed counselor. 
6. Let Yourself Vent – Get it off your chest, rid yourself of the burden, and move on with a renewed sense of freedom! 
7. Gratitude Journal – End the day with quiet time and reflection. Sow seeds of thankfulness before bed to create more of what you’re thankful for. 

Being the best possible version of yourself will allow you to overflow onto those around you, thereby positively affecting the lives of many. You just may find that the people you overflow onto will overflow back to you when you need it the most.  We hope these tips give you the tools you need to start looking at the world in a brighter light and share that light with the world.