When you hear about positive thinking, do you roll your eyes and imagine “Pollyanna” types who are overly optimistic and blind to life’s negative aspects? 

Positive thinking entails embracing life and all its challenges with a more positive outlook. So, rather than avoiding or ignoring bad situations, positive thinking tries to make the most of them and get through them in a healthy way. It’s about learning to see the best in a situation and in others, as well as viewing yourself and your abilities in a positive light.

Why Bother?

Positive thinking, and the optimism that results, can help you handle stress better and give you the coping skills to get through hardships and other stressful situations. And effective stress management can have a huge positive impact on your health. Here are some other great benefits positive thinking can provide:

• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Decreased rates of depression
• Less frequent common colds

About Self-Talk

Usually, positive thinking starts with positive self-talk, which is the continual stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. With practice, determination, and patience, you’ll pleasantly discover your self-talk gradually changing, becoming less negative and critical, and more positive and loving.

Fostering Positive Thinking

In addition to consciously being aware of, and working to improve, your self-talk, two of the most important things you can do to foster positive thinking and reap its benefits are:

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. A lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a healthy diet will help to improve your mood (and thoughts), keep your body strong, and reduce your stress levels.
• Surround yourself with positive people. Nurture a circle of positive people you can depend on for love and support through both the good times and the bad. Avoid negative people as much as you can, as they can negatively impact your efforts to think and live more positively.