What is positive thinking and how can we define it?
- Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on optimistic and positive thoughts and expects positive results.
- It is a mindset that looks on the bright side of life and anticipates happiness, health and success.
- It is an optimistic state of mind.
- Positive thinking people are confident and believe they can overcome any obstacle or difficulty they might face.
To take advantage of the power of positive thinking, you need to practice it. You need to replace each negative thought with a positive thought. It’s a process that requires some perseverance and continued awareness of your thoughts.
In this article, you will learn what this mental attitude is and how to implement it in your life.
How the Power Positive Thinking Works
Does this power really work? Can it change your life?
The following stories illustrate examples of how the power of positive thinking works.
Richard’s Negative Attitude and Negative Mindset
Richard applied for a new job, though he didn’t believe he will get it. He had low self-esteem, and considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success.
He had a negative attitude about himself and anticipated failure. This made him believe that the other applicants were better qualified than him.
On the day of the interview, Richard woke up late in the morning. While dressing up, he discovered that the shirt he planned to wear was dirty.
He looked for another shirt, but all his shirts needed ironing.
As it was already too late, he went out wearing a wrinkled shirt and without eating breakfast.
During the interview, Richard was stressed, nervous and hungry. His mind and attention were distracted , and this made it difficult for him to focus on the interview.
Richard’s behavior made a bad impression, and consequently, he materialized his fear and did not get the job.
Jim’s Positive Mindset and Attitude
The second story is about Jim, who applied for the same job too. He had a good measure of self-esteem, and was confident that he was going to get the job.
During the week preceding the interview, Jim often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job. He also and repeated positive affirmations to that effect.
Jim did not want to leave anything for the last moment, and therefore, he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, in the evening before the interview. He also went to sleep a little earlier than usual.
Jim woke up early in the morning, and therefore, had ample time to eat breakfast and leave home on time. This enabled him to arrive to the interview before the scheduled hour, refreshed and calm.
Jim stayed calm and confident during the interview, made a good impression, and got the job.
These stories show that attitude, behavior and approach play a major part in life.
The Benefits of Positive Thinking
What are the the benefits of positive Thinking?
- A positive mental attitude produces positive thoughts, which can affect many areas of life in a favorable way.
- This kind of attitude improves your physical and mental health, emotional health, and immunity system.
- This attitude can reduce stress and anxiety, and increase confidence and happiness.
- Such a state of mind makes you more optimistic, friendly and considerate, and this improves your relationships with people.
- With this mental outlook, you become more motivated, and can motivate people to improve themselves and their life.
- You avoid negative self talk and substitute it with positive self talk.
- A mental attitude that focuses on good and positive thoughts awakens positive emotions. It drives away negative emotions.
Norman Vincent Peale and Positive Thinking
In 1952, Norman Vincent Peale published his book ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’. This book, popularized the concept of positive thinking.
In his book, which is still popular nowadays, Peale provided practical instructions designed to help the reader achieve an optimistic attitude. His techniques involved affirmations and visualizations.
How to Think Positive?
In order to turn the mind toward the positive, some inner work is required, since attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.
Here are 10 tips for harnessing this power and and bringing positivity into your life:
- Read books and articles about this topic and think often about its benefits.
- Avoid the company of people who express negative thoughts and negative feelings.
- Choose the company of happy and optimistic people.
- Choose the company of people who have the passion to succeed in their chosen field.
- Use your imagination to visualize only favorable and beneficial situations and avoid imagining problems and failure. This will set the law of attraction into action, bringing positive changes into your life.
- Use positive words in your inner dialogues, and when talking with others. Use words such as “it’s possible”, “I can” and “I am able”.
- Always find reasons to smile. This would help you feel good and maintain more harmonious relations with people.
- Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Always focus only on good and happy thoughts.
- Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly.
- Repeat affirmations to change your mindset.
Do you wish to learn more and find guidance on how to bring positivity into your life? Read our book on positive thinking.
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About the Author
My name is Remez Sasson. I am the author and creator of SuccessConsciousness.com, which I have been running since 2001. Join me on a fabulous journey to self improvement, happiness, success, positive lifestyle, conscious living and meditation, through my website, articles and books.
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