topic Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk in Wellness

🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

hildyjohnson — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 22:58:08 GMT

I have been learning to practice positive self-talk and stop negative expectations to cope with depression and other health problems.

I found this article interesting.

Please share your experience with negative or positive self-talk if you will.

tia!

Have a GREAT day and be well!❤️

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"The positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management.

And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills.

Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations.

Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.

You think the best is going to happen,

not the worst.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head.

These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason.

Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic.

If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health.

Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body................."

"...........Practicing positive thinking every day

If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance.

You may also become less critical of the world around you.

When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you're better able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way.

That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking..........."

Feb. 18, 2017
See more In-depth at the link

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

.....

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

Moonchilde — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:17:17 GMT

The question is periodically asked on these forums whether one is an optimist or a pessimist, as if you must be categorized as one or the other, black or white, and that clearly "pessimist" is a bad thing to be and optimist is the Ideal; same with the "healthy" extroverts vs the "unhealthy" introverts.

I am neither; I'm a realist. I see no reason to go through life assuming worst case scenarios, but I have never, ever been someone who always assumes things will always turn out swell - or to chastise others for not being perpetual Pollyannas; that's such a "forced" thing to me - and I don't believe one's outlook on life should (or can be) "created." If it is, I don't think the person ever truly buys into it deep down, and knows they're faking it.

It's always good IMO to remind oneself to try and keep a reality balance between the two. Analyze a situation based on your knowledge of it. Look at it as worst-case and best-case; the actual outcome is most likely to be somewhere in between. With that in mind, most situations won't end as a surprise disappointment, or as bad as they might. Works for me.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

hoosieroriginal — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:07:18 GMT

In today's world, it's REALLY difficult to be a positive thinker. I tend to "stick my head in the sand" - I watch no newscasts, read no newspapers. This helps me from being depressed about the world's situation. When I watched TV I found myself having a hard time sleeping, concentrating on things, being generally happy. I've decided this is the only way I can keep upbeat. I also think there are a lot of unhappy, negative people out there who can really make your life miserable. I try to steer clear of them also.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

namaste000 — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:16:01 GMT

I have always tended to dwell on negative situations instead of moving on. Now, finally, I am trying to be more in the moment (mindfulness) and let negative thoughts go.

A phone app where I post daily things I am grateful for...sometimes including photos, has helped me. It feels good to emphasize the positive.

When I start to feel stressed I just do slow breathing and concentrate..."I am breathing in, I am breathing out" (again mindfulness) - and I feel more relaxed.

These are little things but they do make a difference

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

meallen616 — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:24:48 GMT

Everyday,

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

Q4u — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:26:34 GMT

I am and always have been a "half full" person. But it is hard (sometimes) to maintain that thinking, even if it comes naturally with so much negativity surrounding us. How much simpler it was when the news was off and we had no smart phones..... however I am someone who enjoys "the big picture", follows the news, loves the computer and when the smart phone hit the scene, I embraced it.... and still do!

I am still "half full" as it's the natural way I see things. I wonder about the constant berating and beating down we get on a constant basis from all sides that is responsible for changes in mood and the rampant depression out there. It can permeate the mind and soul and change people for the worse.

Habits have to change in order to change negative self-talk... and to change those habits takes a daily conscious effort.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

meallen616 — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:35:10 GMT

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

house_cat — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:50:37 GMT

Negative self-talk is one of my worst habits. I would never talk to anyone the way I talk to myself. I'm working on it, but it's a tough habit to break. I've made enough progress at least to recognize when I'm doing it.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

Graciesmom — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 21:14:21 GMT

She Believed She Could

AND So She Did ...

I am a HUGE believer in positive self-talk ... it requires focus so I also keep the positive words in front of me all day ... I LOVE Joel Osteen who inspires me daily with his messages of hope and change. Everyone seems to have a "go to" person for positive thinking, and Joel is one of mine. There was a book years ago I read called "What to Say When You Talk To Yourself" ... we all do it all day long ... it's just attuning yourself to the self talk and changing the thoughts to those words that enhance or change your life ... it's hard to make yourself aware of the self talk at first but once you do you realize how real it is and learn to channel or change the thoughts that are negative ... "you can't do that" ... to those that are more positive or rewarding in your life. You can do it !! I do make signs to keep surrounding myself with ... your words become your reality ...

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

MoJoV — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 21:57:11 GMT

Thats probably true,but no...I will always see the glass half empty and be my own worst critic. I believe its a part of my personality and have accepted it. Good luck to all of those who keep trying...I've given up.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

noodleann — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 22:41:32 GMT

This kind of sums up my experience with all of it.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

catwhisperer — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 23:02:24 GMT

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

mistriTsquirrel — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:14:47 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
I don't believe one's outlook on life should (or can be) "created." If it is, I don't think the person ever truly buys into it deep down, and knows they're faking it.

@Moonchilde I can see what you're saying, but I also think that life experiences affect how we see things. And I think we can change some of our experiences, or find positives in a bad situation.

I'm kind of all over the place. I think I'm usually realistic, but I'm often pessimistic and sometimes optimistic. And the way I see things has been altered when I've crossed paths with certain people, or had certain experiences. When it has caused positive thinking, it has been because I've been open enough to allow myself to see something new.

When my dad was sick I noticed that he never complained about it (well, not until the end, anyway), and I thought it was inspiring. He would say that he was lucky he had access to good healthcare, and not everyone has that. He was in denial about how sick he was, and that was part of the reason he wasn't complaining, but I chose to see it as a lesson I could learn from him about being strong and being thankful for what you have that is good.

It can be really hard to see the good in things though, so I don't blame people for having difficulty with that. I often have difficulty with it myself.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

alliswell — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:17:06 GMT

“When you say to yourself, 'I am going to have a pleasant visit or a pleasant journey,' you are literally sending elements and forces ahead of your body that will arrange things to make your visit or journey pleasant ....

Our thoughts, or in other words, our state of mind, is ever at work 'fixing up' things good or bad in advance.” - Prentice Mulford

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

cotton4me — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:18:27 GMT

A couple of my favorite books that helped me with positive thinking: There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Wayne Dyer, and Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen. Both have great strategies and ideas. I used many of the affirmations and thoughts each day, especially when I was working. I underlined parts of the above books that I found helpful and would re-read them before leaving the house each day.

One of my favorite affirmations in the Wayne Dyer book: I can choose peace rather than this.

When I was working I did everything I could to surround myself with positive thoughts and images. I had a Louise Hay page-a-day calendar and a Joel Osteen page-a-day calendar which contained positive affirmations/thoughts for each day.

I took a course in positive thinking which had the biggest impact on me. It basically retrained my brain. They taught meditation, etc. I ended up with better health, among other things. Of course, there are times when I feel sad. My usual recourse is to pray, thanking God for all my blessings. By the time I’m done I usually feel better because the blessings are endless.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

KathyM23 — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:19:00 GMT

@Moonchilde

I like your reference to "realist". Positive thinking is beneficial to our emotional health and we should strive to think positively as much as possible; however, as we know life is not alway positive. We must face life realistically. I am a "stick my head in the sand kind of person" so I can't take your advice to analyze worse case and best case scenerio as I would then think too much about what could go wrong, so I definitely need to practice my positive thinking.

I do try to keep my self talk positive, but definitely do a lot of slipping into the negative!

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

alliswell — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:25:31 GMT

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

mistriTsquirrel — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:30:08 GMT

I have the hardest time thinking positively when I can't get my mind to stop "cycling." I have depression too. When I'm not doing well and my medication isn't working, I have the hardest time derailing the negative thoughts. I still try to do it, but it's much harder and sometimes it doesn't work at all. When my meds are working I am much better at diverting negative thoughts and thinking of positives.

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

alliswell — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:30:47 GMT

Re: 🌤Positive Thinking: Stop Negative Self-Talk

cotton4me — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:33:32 GMT

@catwhisperer wrote:
As far as the "glass half full" vs. the "glass half empty", IMO, it's BOTH. Why does it have to be one or the other?

@catwhisperer

Ha - your post reminded me of the following.