You’re in My Thoughts: The Power of Positive Thinking

Do you ever stop and think about the power of your thoughts? No, seriously, have you thought about it lately? Our brains are complex machines that have been known to take a single thought and run with it until our mood goes from sunshine and rainbows to thunderstorms and tornadoes.

The thing is, we have control over those thoughts. That’s right! We hold the power to change our own moods just by shifting the way we process information. It all comes down to positive thinking.

What is Positive Thinking?

Before we dive deep into how positive thinking can make your life better (spoiler alert: it does), let’s define what positive thinking actually is. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Positive thinking doesn’t mean that you ignore life’s unpleasant situations. […] It involves approaching unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.”

In other words, instead of spiraling out of control when faced with something difficult or negative, try viewing it as an opportunity for growth or learning. Easier said than done, right? Don’t worry; we’ll get there together.

Let Go of Negative Self-Talk

We know by now that being hard on ourselves doesn’t lead us anywhere useful – except maybe a therapist’s office (trust me on this one). Instead of beating yourself up over perceived flaws or mistakes, try replacing those negative thoughts with kinder ones.

Challenge negative self-talk with realistic but encouraging affirmations can be empowering too. For example:

• Instead of “I’m so stupid,” say “This mistake taught me how I want to approach things differently next time.”
• Flip “I never do anything right” around into “I am capable, even if I stumble sometimes.”
• Replace “no one likes me” with “the people who matter enjoy my company, even if not everyone does.”

These small shifts in thought patterns can slowly but surely change the way we think about ourselves and our capabilities.

Affirm Your Goals

Set goals you want to achieve, big or small – that’s right, no one is here to judge. Once you’ve got your goal set out, try affirming it as if you already achieved it. This technique is often called visualization where athletes use it for better performance by imaging themselves finishing first before they actually run a race.

For example, instead of saying “I hope I do well on this test,” try telling yourself “I studied hard and am ready to ace this exam.” It might feel a little silly at first, talking like something has already happened when it hasn’t. But imagining success can boost our mood about what may be otherwise stressful situations.

Utilize Positive Visualization and Gratitude Practice

Moreover, positive visualization doesn’t have to just relate strictly with your goals; gratitude practices are also an excellent place to start using visual self-talk positively.

Pick something good in your life (your job, family members/friends or even physical body that works), visualize its goodness in detail (meaning the colours involved), and give meaningful thanks for that thing every day, preferably morning…

Surround Yourself with Positivity

No man is an island unto himself (no offense meant if you are on an actual island right now)! Our environment plays a massive role in how we approach things mentally. If surrounded by only negative stimuli consistently would lead us straight-up miserable unendingly.So invest some time building up positivity around yourself:

• Listen more cheerful songs(If Donkey from Shrek loves ‘All Stars’ so much why wouldn’t you love bubbly music too?)
• Watch funny television shows 
• Read inspiring books
• Spend time outdoors
• You’ll find the sunnier days drawing plenty of smiling faces onto everyone (It’s infectious!)

With a little work and some mindful exploration, it’s possible to create circumstances that keep our thoughts as comfortable as your favourite pair of shoes.

Keep Expectation Realistic

Here’s a problem with positive thinking – in some cases, we can’t think our way out. The saying “mind over matter” can be accurate only when the matter isn’t too complicated. For example, If you’re mid-way through studying for an exam with a ton left yet to cover – don’t try simply trying to manifest the knowledge (that would be amazing though!).

If we have realistic expectations that balance challenge and satisfaction (Can I learn 2-3 new things each time around), then we are much more likely to succeed.

Focus on What You Can Control

Finally, recognizing what is within our control and what’s not makes us feel less like victims or even observers; so focusing on manageable problems helps decrease stress[^1]. There might just one thing in the world that you truly control — yourself!

So focus on responding positively towards challenging situations; call friends that promote positivity or physical activities such as running or biking, which could help clear your headspace when stuck in negative thought patterns.t last,

Takeaway: Positivity Works

It all sounds easy till real-life gets involved(i.e. other people). Positive thinking won’t do miracles overnight but gradually shifts how influences reach mental outlooks (note how this top titled word counts up till here)!

Besides learning alternate routes down mean streets lead nearby stepping away from pain/disappointment/dissatisfaction feeds energy elsewhere: where it multiplies healthily by fostering broad potential developments.Being better equipped mentally increases chances leading healthier lives(“[^1]”).

That being said let me offer you these two quotes before wrapping up-

“Believe in yourself!” ~Anonymous

and

elaborating quite passionately –

“BLOODY BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! THE DAMNED ODDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO WORK OUT IN YOUR FAVOUR IF YOU’RE CHEERING ON YOUR TEAM.” ~Me… writing in a very caffeinated state

Here’s to being your own team captain and bringing home the winning trophy (or however you choose to recognise resolving through adversity, such as ice-cream sundaes or dancing barefeet around your room)!