Chapter 2: Benefits Of Having A Positive Thinking
Optimism is a virtue that is often portrayed as bringing happiness and fullness into life, and truth be told, these are not just words. There are so many benefits that positive thinking brings to our lives; health, relationships, confidence, among others.
If you are not a positive thinker yet, here are some of the reasons why you should embrace a positive mindset.
Positive Thinkers Cope Better With Stress
It is normal to go through seasons of hardships in life. However, it is only a positive thinker that can effectively cope with the stressful situation compared to a pessimist.
According to one research study, when an optimist encounters a challenging situation, they are highly likely to focus on the things they can do to solve the problem at hand.
Instead of dwelling on your disappointments and frustrations, it is important that you devise a plan of action or seek help from people who can advise or help.
Optimism Can Improve Your Immunity
Based on recent research studies, the mind has been shown to have a very powerful effect on the body. One of these effects is on the immunity of your body. One study demonstrated that when certain areas of our brain associated with negative emotions are activated, the immune response of the body to a flu vaccine is weakened.
Additionally, research studies have also shown that if you are optimistic about a certain thing in your life, for instance how well you do in school, the immune response is strengthened compared to those who have a negative perception of the whole situation.
The truth is, having a positive outlook on life, plays a critical role in helping us cope with stress and in boosting our immunity, hence our overall well-being. Other findings by the Mayo Clinic report that having a positive outlook lowers the risk of death from heart disease, reduces chances of having depression, and generally increases one’s lifespan.
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Well, it is not clear how positive thinking can scientifically affect our health. However, when we’re able to cope better with stress and stay away from unhealthy behaviors, we can boost our overall well-being.
Positive Thinking Is Good For Your Health
It has been shown that having positive thinking helps increase our lifespan and gives us better feelings than those who have negative thought patterns. The truth is, all the negative thoughts that we have in our minds are mirrored on our bodies. In other words, when we are stressed and have depressive thoughts, we do not sleep better, and our muscles tend to tense up. We end up being anxious about the unknown, and we become dissatisfied with everything.
However, when we work towards beating these negative emotions, we ward off the physical outcomes it has on our bodies, and we regain our health.
It Can Make You More Resilient
Resilience simply means one’s ability to ensure difficult situations. In other words, when you face a traumatic situation with resilience, you have the strength and resolve to get through it. Instead of falling apart when faced with such situations, you pick up the pieces and move on to overcome the whole problem.
If you are an optimistic person, you will be able to look at the whole problem and find ways to address the issue wherever you can. In other words, rather than giving up hope, you marshal up your resources and free will to solve the problem. You go the extra mile to ask the people around you to help wherever they can.
According to research, there is evidence that shows that amid a crisis like a natural disaster or a terror, positive thoughts go a long way in providing a buffering system against issues such as depression, especially for people who have resilience. The good news is that positive thinking and resilience are traits that one can cultivate. When you nurture positive emotions, you are better positioned to reap both short term and long-term rewards.
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You Have Better Relationships With People
When you have positive thinking, you will have a better first impression on others. You must realize that people are more attracted to those who are positive mainly because they send the impression that they can maintain friendships. This may explain the reason why people with positive thinking have an active social life.
The same applies to romantic relationships. As such, people who have positive thinking and attitude tend to attract the attention of the opposite sex more than those are have a negative attitude and thinking.
More Focused And Concentrated
When you realize that the problem you are facing could have happened to anyone around you and has happened to others before, it is only then that you accept that it is not the end of the world.
It is then that you learn to remain focused whenever you are faced with a difficult situation. And the secret is to always have positive thinking in all situations.
More Confidence
When you have positive thinking, you gain lots of confidence in yourself and your abilities. The truth is, with positive thinking, you appreciate the level of your abilities and do not try to become someone you are not.
In other words, you learn to appreciate and love who you are, and this has a lot of impact on your self-confidence.
They Have A Happier Life
According to research, there is evidence that demonstrates that people who have positive thinking and live a life full of optimism often have a longer lifespan compared to those that do not. This is because they learn to see possibilities where others do not and hence, end up being more productive in life.
One thing that you must remember is the law of attraction. If you think positively, you will attract positive things in your life. Therefore, learn to be grateful for everything that you have in life. Rather than dwelling on problems, see possibilities in those problems and sooner than you think, your life will change for the better.
That said, you must bear in mind that having positive thinking is not about taking shortcuts in life. Yes, there are times when optimism has been shown to have a negative outcome. It is not about ignoring the reality just for the sake of the silver lining. Always try to make the most out of every bad situation but base it on your abilities.
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It is true that bad things are bound to happen one way or another. At some point in life, you will be disappointed and hurt by the people around you. This does not mean that the world is up against you. Instead, you should accept that such things do happen and instead of working too hard to keep a grudge, look at the situation in a realistic manner. This way, your situation will be made better, and you will learn from every bad experience you encounter.
