The power of positive thinking
Getting healthy seems to be a very physical act for most people. Eating healthier foods, exercising more frequently, avoiding alcohol and drugs – all of these things undoubtedly have a positive influence on our wellbeing. However changing our patterns of thinking, and understanding the profound effect this can have on our health, often seems to take a back seat. Working on negative thought processes, actively practicing forgiveness, taking twenty minutes out of our day to be still and quiet our racing minds – these small acts are placed way down the list of priorities.
The sceptical ego
I feel much of this procrastination regarding working on mental wellbeing is due to our ego. More specifically, the tendency of our ego to view anything that is not solid and visible as unimportant. It can be hard to convince ourselves that something intangible could be so central to our state of health, but luckily the science is catching up.
Studies on optimism
Multiple studies have shown a strong link between one’s level of optimism and lower incidence of many adverse health outcomes such as depression, memory deficit, multiple auto-immune diseases, and a general lengthening of life span. These studies have also shown a strong link between levels of optimism and improved immune function, as well as a 45% lower incidence of death from coronary artery disease.
Seven questions towards optimism
The following 7 questions can be helpful in retraining our brains towards optimism:
- What am I most happy about in my life right now?
- What am I most excited about in my life right now?
- What am I most grateful for in my life right now?
- What am I enjoying most about in my life right now?
- What am I commited to in my life right now?
- Whom do I love?
- What must I do today to acheive my long-term goal?
A daily practice
I love using a gratitude journal every evening to train my brain towards optimism and away from pessimism. It only takes a few minutes before bed to write down several things you were most grateful for during the day, or what you are looking forward to the following day. Done on a regular basis this has a profound ability to reprogram the brain.
Remember that just like improvements in the physical body through exercise, improvements in our mental health do not come about through one isolated attempt. Rather, regular daily practice over a long period of time will get the best results.
If you have a daily practice you use to help maintain optimism, please share it in the comments below.
In wellness,
James Marr
