I want to start this very special article from the very end. That is, first I’m going to tell you the shocking result of one of the studies on positive thinking that I’ve been reviewing, and then I’ll tell you in detail what it is all about.
‘The nuns who had written autobiographical stories that showed positive thinking and healthy emotions were healthier and lived longer’. (Danner, Snowdon, and Friesen, 2001)
In 1932, 180 nuns were asked to write autobiographical stories before being ordained. We all know that the living conditions of nuns once they join the convent are more or less the same. So, the only variable that could explain the good health and longevity of some of them were the texts they had written right before they became nuns. Those who had written with a friendly, positive and hopeful tone were in better health and lived an average of 10 years longer than those who hadn’t expressed any kind of emotions.
I wanted to share this example with you so that you become aware of the importance of creating positive thoughts and emotions in our lives. Let’s take a look at what this is all about.
What is positive thinking?
Positive thinking is nothing more than the result of the sum of positive emotions we experience every day. In this sense, it is not causal that I have chosen the expression “daily” and not another one that implies a longer time and is therefore unattainable.
When we set ourselves daily goals and repeat ourselves “just for today“, I assure you that the goals are easier to achieve.
Thinking positively most of the time is not easy, but it is not impossible. Thinking positively and experiencing positive emotions is a choice we should make at all times, and not just because it has health benefits. It also helps us to face difficult situations in the best possible way.
To think positively does not mean to be naive. We need to be aware of the severity of the situation, reflect upon it in order to learn and choose to think of the positive side of it. Always duel on the positive to move on.
Next, I will tell you everything you need to know about positive thinking and emotions and how to put positivity into practice in your life.
Positive emotions improve health
It is a claim that has been suggested by several scientific studies which seem to hint that positive emotions have many benefits for our health. Let’s see what the results of the following study were. Let me just clarify that I am a fan of scientific research, because I believe that through it, the facts have a strong backing from a prestigious and credible community such as the scientific community.
Now, in this opportunity, 334 volunteers between 18 and 54 years old were evaluated on how to express different emotions. The positive ones were happiness, satisfaction and calmness; while the negative ones were anxiety, sadness and hostility.
They were then given a few drops of a common cold virus and the results were overwhelming. Participants who tended to think positively had a lower risk of contracting the virus than those who were driven by negative emotions. (Cohen, Doyle, Turner, Alper & Skoner, 2003). This is important in the world we live in today, with a Coronavirus haunting our surroundings.
In this regard, the hypothesis is that positive emotions cancel out the physiological effects generated by negative emotions. This is also associated with less strain on the cardiovascular system. (Fredrickson, 1998, 2003).
Positive thinking and emotions help us to face adversities
You’ve probably heard of resilience, the ability to adapt in the face of adversity. People who go through critical situations and suffer a lot, but who nevertheless come through and keep on going, are resilient people.
These people are able to experience positive emotions and thoughts in the midst of a hurricane of unfortunate events. This makes the picture clearer and ideas about a better future come more easily. Within a year of the traumatic situation, these positive emotions will have led to a better psychological outcome. (Stein, Folkman, Trabasso and Richards, 1997).
Nonetheless, regardless of the irrefutable results of science, I would like to share with you something personal. I am sure that more than once you have started your day with some problem or unwanted situation that has generated negative thoughts and unhealthy emotions.
We may have all missed the bus and been late for work, scratched the paintwork of the car in the middle of nowhere or failed to get what we expected. The negative emotions that these situations cause predispose us to negative thinking that will attract unfavorable situations to our lives. It’s like a snowball that we can’t stop.
In fact, the same thing happens if instead of negative thoughts, we create positive ones. If we are willing to experience positive emotions, then everything around us will vibrate at the same frequency. This way, we will attract situations that bring us wellbeing and allow us to face the adversities of everyday life with a different perspective.
How to generate positive emotions and thoughts?
There are many ways to feel good and comfortable with our feelings and emotions. For example, meditation or different relaxation techniques that restore our inner peace and the calmness we have lost. When we relax and make a healthy connection with ourselves, that well-being will translate into our environment and the relationships we have with others.
On the other hand, positive psychology suggests a change of behavior in which we increase the quantity of pleasant activities that we like to do. This change in habits can significantly improve states of depression and generate long-term psychological well-being.
Did you know that emotions correspond to past, present, and future time? For example, satisfaction and self-fulfillment are associated with the past, while pleasure, uplift and fluidity belong to the present. Finally, hope and optimism are reserved for the emotions of the future. To discuss each of these we would need a new article; however, I would like to share with you two short thoughts on uplift and fluidity.
Uplift
That pleasant sensation we feel in the chest is the uplift. It’s an emotion that is triggered when we witness positive, altruistic and kind acts that make us realize that a better world is possible. When we help others without expecting anything in return, or when we receive help, the uplift becomes gratitude and the desire to be better people.
Fluidity
When we are caught up in an activity that we are so passionate about that we lose connection with what is going on around us, we say that we are flowing in a state of joy and unparalleled satisfaction. This flow is a perfect balance between the challenge of the task and our ability to perform it. These activities include painting, music, dance, writing, etc. Even on a work level, my job as a veterinarian brings out my fluidity in all its splendor, and, on a personal level, ‘dancing makes me lose my mind’.
I propose the following: I invite you to become aware of your emotions, to name them and to discover what feelings and thoughts they generate in you. I encourage you to find your fluidity, put it into practice and tell me how it went.
Don’t forget that it is always possible to take a positive look at a negative situation, because there are two sides to life.
Source of information: María Luisa Vecina Jiménez. Papeles del Psicólogo, 2006. Vol. 27(1), pp. 9-17. http://www.papelesdelpsicologo.es/
If you want to deepen your knowledge and take control of your happiness check out my following articles: Meditacion and its implications for our genes and Emotional intelligence as the key to success . I also did the 8 weeks online course of Palouse mindfulness and help me a great deal, it’s for free.
Always remember ‘happy pets need positive owners’
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