Power of Positive Thinking: How to develop it and How It Helps

What Is a Positive Attitude?

Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on the bright side of life and expects positive results. A positive attitude means a mentality that is not daunted by obstacles, difficulties, or delays and does not give in easily.

True positive thinking is not just saying that everything will be okay, but at the same time being realistic about possible losses. To bring beneficial changes and improvement into your life, a positive attitude has to become your predominant mental attitude throughout the day. It has to turn into a way of life and become a habit. Although this might sound tough, it isn't impossible. 

Why Is It Important to Have a Positive Attitude?​

The benefits of possessing a positive attitude are endless. Here are some of the common ones: 

• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of pain or distress
• Higher resistance to illnesses
• Better coping skills in stressful situations
• Reduced risk of respiratory conditions
• Better cardiovascular health 
• Improved sleep and appetite 
• Greater cognitive functioning 

Research suggests that there is a wide range of activities that can help you build a positive attitude. However, to unlock the benefits of the same, consistency and patience are key. 

How can you develop a positive attitude?

Let’s explore a few ways to develop a positive attitude to attain a healthy physical and mental state.

• Start the day with positive affirmation

How we start the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Look at yourself in the mirror and talk to yourself. Even if you feel silly, try using statements like, “Today will be a good day” or “I’m going to be awesome today.” These positive affirmations will sink into your subconscious mind, which in turn, will guide, motivate, and inspire you to think more constructively and optimistically.

• Focus on the good things, however small

Almost invariably, you’re going to encounter obstacles throughout the day—there’s no such thing as a perfect day. When you encounter such a challenge, focus on the benefits, no matter how small or unimportant they seem.

• Try to find humor in a bad situation 

Allow yourself to experience humor in even the darkest or most trying situations. Remind yourself that this situation will pass.

• Turn failures into lessons

No one is perfect and we often make mistakes and experience failure. Instead of focusing on how you failed, think about what you’re going to do next time—turn your failure into a lesson.

• Transform negative self-talk into positive self-talk

Be mindful of your negative thoughts and try to challenge them with optimistic and healthy ones. Start paying attention to your thoughts, and as negative thoughts start circulating in your mind, calmly, and without using force, replace them with constructive, happy, and positive thoughts. 

• Focus on the present

By focusing on the present moment, we can prevent our negative thoughts from taking a toll on us. Most sources of negativity stem from a memory of a recent event or the exaggerated imagination of a potential future event. Hence, it is important to stay in the present moment.

• Find positive friends, mentors, and co-workers

When you surround yourself with positive people, you’ll hear positive outlooks, stories, and affirmations. These positive words will sink in and affect your line of thinking which further transcends into others. Keep away from the company of people who might discourage or belittle you.

• Power of visualization

Visualize yourself in various situations, displaying a positive attitude and acting positively. Creating mental scenes in your mind of what you want to achieve or how you want to act or behave is the most powerful way of changing your attitude and your life.

• Be proactive

Take action and don't be passive, in small matters and big ones. If you keep yourself busy doing things, there will be less likelihood of engaging in negative thoughts and a greater likelihood of being positive.

• Keep trying

Always give yourself a second and third chance. Do not give up or give in easily.

• Smile and Laugh

It has been scientifically proven that smiling can improve your overall mood and outlook in life. Laughter is the best medicine. Join a Yoga laughter club for group support for laughing and meditation practice to calm your mind, body, and soul.

• Gratitude

Being grateful improves your chances of becoming happier and more content in life. By being thankful for what you have, you will achieve true happiness.

• Set goals

Set your goals daily on a piece of paper and plan out your priorities. Having goals will provide the drive and motivation you need to become happy and successful in life.

• Work Out & Eat Right

Eating healthy and working out will keep you in a great state of being and help maintain an active mind. Go for a long walk, run, or go to the gym. Also include Yoga, Meditation, and Pranayam in your daily routine.

Almost anybody in any situation can apply these lessons to their own lives and increase their positive attitude. As you might imagine, positive thinking offers to compound returns, so the more often you practice it, the greater benefits you’ll realize. 

Can therapy help in developing a positive attitude?

Though the above-mentioned strategies help in managing your stress levels, some clients may require psychological interventions. The multispecialty team at Cadabam's Hospitals offers one-to-one counseling services to the patients to let them know how to think positively. 

Here are some of the ways our experts may for the therapy to help you think positively: 

• Understanding the Problem:

There are so many times when a person may start becoming negative due to an incident that may have happened to them. Extreme cases such as divorce, loss of a well-established job, death of someone close, or failure in a successful business can lead to such a situation. Some people are aware of the reason behind their negativity, and some do not remember when they started being so negative in life. 

Hence, the experts talk to the patients and try to understand the cause of the situation. When the actual cause is known, it gets quite easier for the experts to deal with it. 

• Counseling:

After the problem is discovered, the next step is to fill the person’s mind with positive thoughts. Through several sessions, the experts leverage evidence-based approaches to assist patients towards a positive mindset. 

The expert decides upon the number of sittings that the patient needs to develop the power of a positive mental attitude depending upon the severity of the condition and the speed at which the patient is recovering. 

• Suggesting Activities:

Along with the counseling sessions, the experts may also suggest a few activities for the patients such as deep breathing, meditation, engaging in a hobby, and others to keep the negativities out. 

Positive Thinking: A Psychologist Answers

FAQs

1. What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking refers to a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on healthy perspectives and coping strategies. The idea behind having a positive attitude is to not let obstacles, difficulties, or delays interfere with your goals. 

2. How to practice positive thinking?

Experts recommend several techniques to practice positive thinking including

• Practicing positive affirmations
• Learning from failures
• Challenging negative self-talk
• Being present and mindful of your actions
• Positive visualization
• Being proactive
• Surrounding yourself with positive people 

3. Why positive thinking is important?

There are several benefits to practicing positive thinking including

• Greater resistance to illnesses
• Better cardiovascular health 
• Lower rates of depression or anxiety
• Healthier coping strategies in response to stress
• Improved sleep and appetite

4. What are positive thinking skills?

The principle of positive thinking is maintaining a healthy mental and emotional attitude. This can be understood by recognizing the important skills a positive thinker possesses. A few of them include

• Optimism 
• Resilience
• Gratitude
• Determination
• Confidence 
• Courage