Many studies have been performed on "the power of positive thinking". Does it help you become more successful in life? Does it improve your health? Can you simply think your way to good health and fitness? The answer may seem less complicated than you have been led to believe. Let us take a look at some things that people and scientists are saying about thinking positively.
First of all, let me point out that research has discovered a downside to the wrong kind of positive thinking. You may become financially irresponsible if you rely on the power of positive thinking. We must ground our positive thinking in solid realism. Contain your enthusiasm whenever you are making financial decisions because it may lead you to make bad choices.
But don't be down on positive thinking. Creative people tend to be positive thinkers. Or maybe we should say that positive thinking helps to make people more creative thinkers. We may need more research in this area but the prospects for positive thinkers are very good.
There are definite health benefits for positive-thinking people, too. When it comes to healthier perspectives for longer living we want to give ourselves all the advantages we can. What science has learned is that positive emotions may be very good for your health when you grow older. Personally, I think they are good for any age.
Other research shows that recalling positive, happy memories improves our health too. Well, at least that is so when you are feeling depressed, but depression is linked to chronic ailments of all types. So if you are feeling down you can pull yourself up with a simple exercise.
First, sit straight up and pull your shoulders back. This will help you breathe more easily.
Second, think back to a time when you were really happy and immerse yourself in that experience. Relive the moment. Allow yourself to feel how happy you were then. Maybe this technique will work better if you think about someone of the opposite sex who made you feel immensely happy and joyful, even if only for a few minutes.
One of two other benefits I can tell you about is that positive thinking may help prevent breast cancer. How does this work? Researchers don't really know. My guess is that when you allow your positive feelings to govern your mood your body releases hormones that help its immune system perform better. You may also breathe more freely and inhale more oxygen, thus contributing to overall health.
And that leads me to the other of these two health benefits. Research has now shown that positive thinking can be good for your heart health. Simply believing that you are at less risk for heart disease is closely connected to a lower incidence of heart disease.
How does this work? We don't know. But maybe that positive thinking influences your thinking in other ways, such as reducing behaviors that lead to heart disease. You may become more active and eat healthier, for example, if you feel like you are not at risk for heart disease and have something to protect. This could be a very subtle defense mechanism.
