Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old
question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your
attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic —
and it may even affect your health.
Indeed, some studies show that personality traits like optimism and
pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The
positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of
effective stress management. And effective stress management is
associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic,
don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills. Here's how.
Understanding positive thinking and self-talk
Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and
ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means
that you approach the unpleasantness in a more positive and productive
way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.
Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless
stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. These
automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk
comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from
misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.
If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your
outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly
positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive
thinking.
The health benefits of positive thinking
Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and..... Read more...
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