Positive thinking for our well-being

What is positive thinking?

 

« It is an attitude based on the principle that every individual has a rich potential that he or she must learn to use and develop:
• by fighting the tendency to devalue oneself, anxiety and pessimism;
• by methodically training to mobilize for clear and precise objectives, to perceive the future with confidence and to visualize the expected results in a creative way. »
Michel Lacroix in Le Développement personnel (Marabout, 2009).

This concept, which has become very popular today with the rise of personal development, appeared in the 1950s with the book “Power of Positive Thinking” by Vincent Norman Peale, American pastor and author.
Positive thinking is a way of life, a mental attitude that admits into the mind positive thoughts, words and images, in order to feel better. The concept of positive thinking is closely linked to the notion of optimism since it is about focusing on the good side of life..☀️ 

The power of positive thinking

This quote from the famous American psychologist and philosopher underlines the importance of positive thinking in the application of Law of Attraction !
Positive thinking is not magical, but it has powers related to a natural process… 😉💫
Indeed, when our attitude is positive, we feel various pleasant sensations. We project, visualize the future we really want to live. This can manifest itself in a bright glow in our eyes, more energy and happiness, and better health. We walk with our heads held high, with confidence; even our voice is more powerful. Our body language demonstrates our inner well-being!
Thus, numerous studies* show that optimists live longer and in better mental and physical health.
In addition, positive and negative thoughts are felt and are in a way contagious. That is why we naturally prefer to be in contact with positive people and avoid negative people…

5 exercises to cultivate positive thinking

Cultivating positive thinking and gratitude is the number one secret to benefit from the Law of Attraction (read our article: the Law of Attraction).
Positivity is like sowing seeds : plant as many as you can and you will reap the benefits later. But you will only harvest if you water your positivity often and sufficiently.💦🌱🍊🍊🍊
Here are 5 methods that will help you assimilate the concept of positive thinking and apply it to your daily life 🙂:

1. 1. become aware of negative thoughts

      It is a matter of accepting them, then transforming them into positive, constructive thoughts. Through perseverance, your mind will naturally think positively and ignore negative thoughts. 🔃

   2. Positive visualization

      Use your imagination to visualize the positive situations in which you would like to see yourself, feeling already there. Also summon the positive emotions that it makes you feel. Making a “dream board” helps a lot in visualization. It will allow you to focus on your dreams, by grouping together images of what you really want in a frame (or wallpaper, for example). Hang it in a strategic place where you often see. Use images that evoke strong and pleasant emotions to you🌈

   3. The gratitude journal

      It will teach you to see the positive where you didn’t see it before. At the beginning of each day, write down in a notebook 3 things for which you are grateful, both simple and exceptional things. At the end of the day, note 3 positive things that happened to you during the day.

   4. The repetition of positive statements upon awakening

      Autosuggestion alone is not enough, it is necessary to add a positive emotion (joy, love…) and a conviction (being convinced of the veracity of the information). Some examples of positive statements: “I put love and positive in everything I do”, “I am a great person and I deserve the best in life”, “I succeed in everything I do”, “I let go easily because I know that whatever happens in my life, the best always happens. ».
      It is important to use only statements that make us feel good and resonate within us. 🙏

   5. To be here and now

      The secret of happiness is to live in the present. Anxious people think too much about the past. Yoga and meditation are great tools for developing positive thinking and learning mindfulness. Indeed, these practices help to calm the subconscious mind by changing the way we think and let go to focus on the present moment and the associated emotions. (read our article: How does yoga help us manage our emotions?)

Yogadvisor suggests as a bonus this video of Louise L. Hay, to listen to without moderation! 😉

By Léa Cassagnavère

*The most significant: « étude des nonnes » – « Positive emotions in early life and longevity : findings from the nun study », collectif in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001

Sources :

https://www.conscience-et-eveil-spirituel.com/pensee-positive-coment-faire-pour-devenir-positif-et-le-rester.html
https://www.positivia.fr/le-pouvoir-de-la-pensee-positive/
http://www.psychologies.com