Positive thinking: To reduce stress, stop negative self-talk.
why positive thinking is important? How to think positive when depressed? Why stop negative self-thinking? how to stop negative self-talk? what are the ways to stop negative self-talk? how do stop self-talk in the mind? these are some questions that are answered in this article.
Positive thinking can help you manage stress and even improve your health. Using the examples provided, practise overcoming negative self-talk.
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? How you respond to this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even have an impact on your health.
Indeed, some research indicates that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can have an impact on many aspects of your health and well-being. Positive thinking, which is usually associated with optimism, is an important component of effective stress management. And effective stress management is linked to numerous health benefits. Don’t give up if you’re a pessimist; you can learn to think positively.
Positive thinking: To reduce stress, stop negative self-talk.
Self Talk and Positive thinking explained
Positive thinking does not imply ignoring the less-than-ideal circumstances in life. Simply put, positive thinking entails approaching unpleasant situations in a more constructive and positive way. You hope for the best and don’t anticipate the worst.
Positive thinking frequently begins with self-talk. Self-talk is the unspoken stream of thoughts that runs through your mind. Positive or negative automatic thoughts can occur. Logic and reason play a role in some of your self-talk. Other self-talk may result from misconceptions you create due to a lack of information or expectations you have based on previous experiences.
If the majority of your thoughts are negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If you have mostly positive thoughts, you are probably an optimist — someone who believes in positive thinking.
The Advantages of Positive Thinking for Health
Researchers are still investigating the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Positive thinking may provide the following health benefits:
- increased life expectancy
- Lower depression rates
- Reduced distress and pain Greater resistance to illnesses
- Improved psychological and physical health
- Better cardiovascular health and a lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke
- Cancer death risk is reduced.
- Lower risk of death from respiratory diseases
- Reduced risk of infection-related death
- Improved coping abilities during adversity and stress
It’s unclear why people who think positively have these health benefits. According to one theory, having a positive attitude allows you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the negative health effects of stress on your body.
Positive and optimistic people are also thought to live healthier lifestyles — they engage in more physical activity, eat a healthier diet, and do not smoke or drink excessively.
Recognizing negative thinking
Are you unsure whether your self-talk is positive or negative? Some examples of negative self-talk include:
- Filtering. You exaggerate the negative aspects of a situation while filtering out all the positives. For example, suppose you had a fantastic day at work. You finished your tasks ahead of schedule and were praised for your speed and thoroughness. That evening, you forget about the compliments you received and concentrate solely on your plan to complete even more tasks.
- Personalizing. When something bad happens, you immediately blame yourself. For example, you hear that a night out with friends has been canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is due to the fact that no one wants to be around you.
- Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst without any evidence that the worst will occur. Your order is incorrect at the drive-through coffee shop, and you fear the rest of your day will be a disaster.
- Blaming. You try to blame someone else for what happened to you rather than yourself. You avoid taking responsibility for your thoughts and emotions.
- Saying you “ought” to do something. You think about all the things you should do and then blame yourself for not doing them.
- Magnifying. Minor issues are magnified by you.
- Perfectionism. Maintaining impossible standards and striving for perfection sets you up for failure.
- Polarizing. You only see things as either good or bad. There is no in-between.
Concentrating on positive thinking
You can learn to change your negative thoughts into positive ones. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice — after all, you’re forming a new habit. Here are some ways to think and act more positively and optimistically:
- Determine what needs to be changed. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, start by identifying areas of your life where you typically think negatively, such as work, your daily commute, life changes, or a relationship. You can begin by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive manner. Instead of a negative thought, think of a positive one to help you manage your stress.
- Examine yourself. Stop and think about what you’re thinking at least once a day. If you notice that your thoughts are mostly negative, try to find a way to turn them around.
- Allow yourself to be amused. Allow yourself to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Look for the humor in everyday events. You feel less stressed when you can laugh at yourself.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. You can also do it in 5- or 10-minute increments throughout the day. Exercise has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress. To fuel your mind and body, eat a healthy diet. Get enough rest. Also, learn stress management techniques.
- Be in the company of uplifting people. Make sure the people you surround yourself with are upbeat, encouraging, and capable of providing insightful feedback. People who are negative can make you feel more stressed out and make you doubt your capacity to handle stress in healthy ways.
- Engage in constructive self-talk. Start by adhering to this straightforward principle: Don’t speak to yourself in a way that you wouldn’t speak to someone else. Be kind and supportive to yourself. When a negative thought arises, analyse it logically and counter it by focusing on your positive traits. Consider the aspects of your life for which you are grateful.
Here are a few instances of negative self-talk and how to change them with positive thinking:
| Negative self-talk | Positive thinking |
|---|---|
| I’ve never carried it out. | It’s a chance to gain new knowledge |
| It’s too difficult. | I’ll approach it from a different perspective. |
| I lack the resources to do it. | The invention process is driven by necessity. |
| I’m too lazy to finish this. | Though I can reevaluate some priorities, I was unable to fit it into my schedule. |
| It won’t work in any way. | I can try to make it work. |
| The change is too drastic. | Let’s try our luck. |
| Nobody makes an effort to get in touch with me. | I’ll try to get the lines of communication open. |
| I won’t get any better at doing this. | I’ll attempt it once more. |
daily positive thinking practise
Expecting to become an optimist overnight is unrealistic if you have a tendency to be pessimistic. But over time, you’ll become less critical of yourself and more accepting of who you are. You might also start to lose your sense of self-criticism.
Being generally upbeat makes it easier for you to deal with daily stress in a more beneficial manner. That aptitude could be a factor in the positive thinking’s well-documented health advantages.
