Benefit #2: Positivity Makes Us Feel Good

Benefit #2: Positivity Makes Us Feel Good

It may sound a bit simplistic, but the fact is that the more positive we are, the better we feel – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Research has shown that benefits of a generally positive outlook include everything from better coping skills to greater resistance to illness to improved cardiovascular health to lower rates of stress and depression and even an increased life span. The adverse effects of stress on the body are almost too numerous to mention, but they include problems with the bones, heart, breathing, and reproductive functions, to name just a few.

Additionally, more optimistic people tend to pursue healthier habits. They tend to exercise more, eat healthier, sleep better, and avoid indulging in addictive behaviors like drinking, smoking, or drug use.

If having a more positive view of the world could prevent distress, wouldn’t it be worth it?

But how do you get there if you’re one of the nearly 50 percent of people who do not naturally tend toward an optimistic outlook? One way would be to take part in the 30-Day Positivity Challenge. This is a 30-day series of exercises that gives participants a variety of assignments conducive to feeling better, overall. According to inspirational speaker Abraham Hicks, “Few realize that they can control the way they feel and positively affect the things that come into their life experience by deliberately directing their thoughts.” Abraham Hicks says we accomplish this by simply “reach[ing] for a better feeling thought.”

If you’re ready to start feeling happier, you can – and you can do it today. Begin by becoming aware of your thoughts. Do you routinely do any of the following?

Filtering – You analyze a given situation and filter out any positive outcomes. Instead of letting yourself bask in the glory of a great day at work, you focus on how it might be undermined or start looking for the next problem coming down the pike.

Personalizing – You take credit for every bad thing that happens, whether or not you had anything remotely to do with it. It rained – because you washed your car this morning. Or your friends cancel plans at the last minute and you assume it’s because they don’t want to hang out with you.

Catastrophizing – This involves anticipating the worst. Your partner is supposed to call on their way home from work and don’t. You imagine this is because they’re dead in a ditch, rather than the actual reason: their phone died and they left their charger at the office.

Polarizing – This is the all-or-nothing thinking that views everything as either good or bad. You see no nuance or gray area. From this perspective, there are two outcomes to everything you attempt: perfection or failure.

If any of these is familiar, you might want to work on replacing these kinds of thoughts with an affirmation that counters the negative with something positive. If you can’t go directly to a positive statement, then come up with a neutral statement which is neither good nor bad. A positive affirmation for filtering might be: “I allow myself to enjoy the results of the work I did today.” A neutral affirmation for filtering might go something like, “Today was OK. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

The choice is yours: Will you opt for positivity?

JOIN THE 30-DAY POSITIVITY CHALLENGE TODAY!

#fairypositive #blogboost

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Laura Orsini is an author, speaker, consultant, publisher, and creator of Fairy Positive, an antidote to the worries of the world. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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