Focusing on the good in any given situation, that’s what we called positive thinking. This has a big impact on your physical and mental health.
You don’t have to ignore reality but keep yourself optimistic with the expectation that things will go well.
There are numerous benefits of positive thinking, which include:
– Better mood;
– Clearer thinking;
– More creativity;
– Better coping skills;
– Longer life span;
– Better physical health (like heart health);
– Better bread tolerance;
– Better immune system.
Marci Shimoff and Carol Kline have written in “Happy for No Reason” about an elderly Cherokee who told his grandson one evening about the battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between the two ‘wolves’ that live inside us all. One is unhappiness. It is fear, worry, anger, jealousy, sorrow, self-pity, resentment, and inferiority. The other is happiness. It is joy, love, hope, serenity, kindness, generosity, truth, and compassion”. The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins? “.
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
You often feed the wrong wolf because of your inborn tendency to register your negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences more deeply than your positive ones. When you have a positive outlook you may be more likely to live a healthy lifestyle, and happiness happiness shines since you have a more hopeful view of your life and your future.
