Positiv thinking

Every adult has a little child inside — who might be afraid, who may tell you that you can’t succeed, or that you shouldn’t try something. It is the child who still carries some of life’s earliest messages from parents or teachers. They taught all the do’s and don’ts of life, but for some people, they forgot to teach the message of success and how to believe in oneself. These children may grow up to be adults with self-esteem problems. To a greater or lesser degree, we all carry those childhood messages. But for the adult who is fearful of life and full of self-doubt, the negative messages have drowned out the positive ones.
Do you ever hear that voice inside your head – perhaps when you attempt something new? If you want to have a greater sense of self-esteem, the solution is simple: substitute positive messages for negative ones.
What is positive thinking?
As the term might imply, positive thinking is simply a matter of learning to think more positively and to express your thoughts in terms that convey your ability to reach life goals and feel successful. Positive thinking substitutes helpful self-talk for negative. We all have these automatic thoughts that run through our heads every day. The more you can substitute positive thinking for negative self-criticism, the more positive you will feel.
Benefits of positive thinking
Researchers at the famed Mayo Clinic found that learning more positive thinking was associated with tangible health benefits, ranging from greater resistance to colds to lower rates of depression, and from reduced levels of stress to an increased life expectancy. They believe that these effects may be traced to improved coping skills and healthier lifestyles. The more positive you feel, the more you take care of yourself.
Positive thinking has been used clinically to help individuals with depression, anxiety and self-esteem problems. In combination with relaxation therapy, positive thinking can be just what the doctor ordered!
Positive thinking techniques
If you’d like to tackle problems with self-esteem, put positive thinking to work for you. Follow these simple tips to create a more positive attitude:
• Take care of yourself. As you begin to follow a healthier lifestyle, you are giving yourself the message that you are worth taking care of. Even if you’re not sure yet if you believe that, you’ll soon start to feel better physically, and that will help you feel more positive. Exercise several times a week, eat healthy foods, and learn some relaxation techniques for when you need to take a stress break.
• Surround yourself with positive energy. Make sure that the people around you are optimistic in their outlooks. Nothing is more contagious than negativity, so try to banish it in your environment.
• Spot-check your attitude. Several times a day, take a moment to analyze what you’re thinking. Are you being positive or negative? If the latter, try to reframe the situation in more positive terms. By becoming more self-conscious about your negativity, you’ll learn to curb it.
• Use positive self-talk. Encourage yourself by giving yourself positive affirmations; e.g., “I am a self-confident individual who has much to offer.” Avoid the use of “could-a” and “should-a” messages to yourself. Change what you need to change, and try not to beat yourself up in the process. Allow a little humor into your talk. Laughing at yourself and at life does reduce stress.
Now that you have a better idea about the true power of positive thinking, begin to apply it daily in your life. You will soon notice that the scared little child in you has grown up into a self-confident adult.
Start learning the positive thinking techniques now – sign up for the free Silva Method lessons