Thinking positively and its benefits for your physical and mental health

Would you say that the glass was half-empty? Or half-full? Both approaches can influence your physical and mental health but the science overwhelmingly shows that being a positive thinker is the better of the two.

Scientifically proven benefits of positive thinking include:

• increased energy levels

• a better quality of life

• better psychological and physical health

• quicker recovery from injury or illness

• fewer colds and viral illnesses

• lower rates of depression

• better stress management and coping skills

• longer life expectancy

What are the side effects of negative thinking?

Thinking negatively (and the accompanying pessimism, stress and anger) can cause many problems, including numerous physical symptoms and increased risk of disease.

Those who are pessimistic are at much higher risk of:

• infection

• heart disease

• heart attack

• stroke

• various cancers (especially breast, ovarian, lung and colorectal)

• respiratory diseases

• dementia

Negative emotions cause stress hormone release and affect metabolism and immune function. Prolonged periods of stress also increase inflammation in your body, which can lead to a number of serious diseases.

That said, positive thinking isn’t a panacea. It can’t make all of your problems disappear – but it will help to make problems appear more manageable and less overwhelming.

Is it always possible to think more positively?

If you’re naturally a more cynical person, all is not lost. Likewise, even when grieving or experiencing serious distress, there is always a silver lining.

Positive thinking isn’t about suppressing all negative thoughts or avoiding difficult feelings. The lowest points in our lives are often the ones that motivate us to move on and make positive changes.

There are plenty of positive-thinking techniques that can help you train your brain to have a brighter outlook:

Identify the situations in which you are most negative

Before working on yourself, it’s always best to identify the problem areas first. So, take a look at the different areas of your life and identify the ones which bring out the most negativity in you.

Sometimes this isn’t easy. If you’re unsure, ask a friend or colleague for some insight. For example, a work colleague might notice that you tend to be negative when working as part of a team. Or your partner might think that you get especially negative when doing household chores. Take on one thing at a time.

Spend more time with positive people

Have you noticed how a whole room can be brought down by just one person who’s in a bad mood? Both negativity and positivity can be contagious. Think about the people you mix with.

Surrounding yourself with positive people improves self-esteem. It also increases your chances of reaching goals because it helps you to see the bright side of things.

Practice positive self-talk

Many of us are our own worst critics. Over time this can cause you to form an unshakeable, negative opinion of yourself. In order to reverse this, you need to respond to the voice in your head with positive messages. This is known as positive self-talk.

One example could be instead of thinking to yourself: “I really screwed that up”, you can say: “I’ll try that again some other way.”

Studies show that even a tiny shift in the way you talk to yourself can help you to positively regulate your thoughts and feelings.

Try to start every day on a positive note

It’s important to start your day well. Try creating a ritual in which you wake up to something uplifting and positive.

That could be telling yourself that it’s going to be a great day, listening to a happy song or sharing some positivity by giving a compliment or doing something nice for someone.

Focus on the good things

Everyday life is full of challenging situations and obstacles. When one arises, focus on the positive, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may seem.

If you keep an eye out, you can always find the silver lining. For example, if someone cancels on you, try to focus on the positive, productive way you can now spend that free time.

Practice gratitude and keep a diary

Practising gratitude has been shown to promote positivity as it reduces stress and improves self-esteem. This involves, at least once a day, trying to think of people, moments or things that bring you happiness. Then, you should try to express your gratitude for them.

This can be in the form of thanking one of your colleagues for their help during the day, your roommate for cleaning the bathroom, or your pet for their unconditional love.

Writing these things down in a journal or diary can also help to reinforce these positive feelings. This can be done on a daily basis or during moments when you’re having a particularly hard time.

Allow yourself to laugh

Several studies have shown laughter to lower stress and help with anxiety and depression.

It can help you to cope with difficult situations if you’re open to humour in all situations, especially the difficult ones. Allow yourself to laugh – it instantly lightens the mood, even if you’re not feeling it. Even pretending or forcing yourself to laugh can improve your mood and lower stress.

Getting treatment

If you’re feeling overcome by negative thoughts or that they are constant, you might benefit from medical help.

Persistent negative thoughts could be a result of an underlying psychiatric condition that requires treatment. Therefore, seeing a psychologist or therapist might be beneficial.

Undoing years of pessimism and negativity can take time but with some practice, and perhaps help, you can learn how to look at things with a more positive outlook.

At The Place Retreats, we use psychology, spirituality and yoga to help change our most destructive, exhausting patterns of thinking and behaviour.