10 Ways Our Thoughts Have Power Over Our Health

Positive thinking can change your life

Negative self-talk is something I have always struggled with. When I mess something up, my first reaction is to call myself names or make fun of myself.

Whether it’s a mistake that I made because I was in a hurry or something I legitimately didn’t know, I am “stupid” or “careless” or “a moron.”

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember, and I make fun of myself about that often. Sometimes, I’m not even aware of the fact that I’m doing it. It’s just a knee-jerk reaction to feeling uncomfortable with myself.

In my mind, it was just a way to cope — to shift the focus so I would feel less awkward.

When other people fail at something, it doesn’t occur to me to call them names.

I would never make fun of another woman’s weight, even women who are way heavier than I am. I would literally never even consider it.

So, why do I do that to myself? And why is that such a dangerous thing to do?

Why is manifesting positivity so important?

The Mayo Clinic published an article that listed health benefits that can be derived from positive thinking, some of which you may find surprising.

Regularly eliminating negative thinking and successfully engaging in positive thinking can lead to the following benefits:

· Increased life span

· Lower rates of depression

· Lower levels of distress and pain

· Greater resistance to illnesses

· Better psychological and physical well-being

· Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke

· Reduced risk of death from cancer

· Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions

· Reduced risk of death from infections

· Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

The article goes on to say that the reason behind these benefits isn’t clear, but they have been proven.

What a powerful list of reasons to continue on the road to increased positive thinking.

Negativity is clearly hurting us, and it often hurts those around us as well, whether by affecting their mental health because our negativity can encourage their mood to slip into depression, or by spreading the instinct of negative self-talk to them.

What are some active ways to replace negative thinking with positive thoughts?

That same article from The Mayo Clinic goes on to list six ways we can begin to shift our focus from negativity to positivity. I encourage each of you to read the article for more information, but the basic list of ways to make the change are as follows:

· Identify areas to change.

· Check yourself.

· Be open to humor.

· Follow a healthy lifestyle.

· Surround yourself with positive people.

· Practice positive self-talk.

Of course, if you have spent years stuck in the habit of negative thinking, this isn’t something you can change immediately, but through concerted and focused effort, you can learn to reframe even your meanest thoughts to a more positive slant.

Perhaps you didn’t succeed at something. Why not remind yourself that success often follows many failed attempts?

“The only thing that separates success from failure is one last attempt. Try one more time, and you will get lucky.” -Apoorve Dubey

We carry power over ourselves, as well as those around us, within our own mind.

Why not wield that power in a way that benefits us all?

I will continue to put the work in, because I don’t want to be a drain on myself, and I especially don’t want to be a drain on those around me.

I can and will learn this new life skill, and eventually, it will be a habit that comes more easily to me.

How about you? Do you struggle with manifesting positivity? Is negative thinking and self-talk a weakness for you?

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