We all deal with stress at some point in our lives; some of us deal with it more than others. We may even feel the effects of stress, but not realize that stress is what is causing those discomforts.
Physically, stress can be felt through: headaches, tension, chest pain, fatigue, decreased libido, upset stomach, and sleep troubles. Mentally stress can make us feel anxious, restless, unmotivated and unfocused, irritable, sad or depressed, and commonly overwhelmed.
Sometimes without realizing it, we may change our behavior due to stress. These common stress habits include over or under eating, anger outburst, abuse of alcohol or drugs, increase or start-up of tobacco, social withdrawal, and an uncommon lack of exercise.
Insert Positive Thinking.
Did you realize that positive thinking can have a major effect on your stress levels and health? That doesn’t mean that you ignore any problems or negative happenings. However, it does mean taking an alternate approach to your reaction.
How does positivity show in your life? Check out these benefits:
Increased life span
Decreased depression rates
Less distress
Increased immune system and resistance to colds
Increased mental state
Decreased of cardiovascular disease
and of course, less stress!
Benefits of positive thinking come from the ability to cope better with negative situations and spend less time healing your body of that stress. Now, positive thinking can make you healthy alone, but it can get you closer!
HOW do you foster a positive mind?
Here are some quick tips on implementing positivity throughout your day. Feeling motivated? Journal every day as you introduce these new ideas, this will really help you understand how much better you are feeling physically and mentally by being positive!
Start the day positively! Say at least one positive thing to yourself before you get going on your day! Absolutely do not start the day with pessimism.
Start focusing your time on the good things, even little ones. You will always be met with obstacles, but it’s time to switch away from your attention from those. There is always something good out of every situation. Sometimes it may just be the opportunity to learn and do better next time!
Let me reiterate, turn your failures into learning situations. It’s a lesson, not a life sentence.
Try and find humor in bad things. What’s done is done. Laugh about it! Did you do something embarrassing, it’s ok, and I can almost promise you it will be funny later!
Recognize your self-talk. Put in an effort into identifying the negative, and focus on turning it positive. Give yourself some credit!
Focus on the moment. Do not overthink situations. Forget the past, plan to do better in the future, but don’t take the moment for granted! When you turn your attention to the moment, often times we realize our situations aren’t actually that bad!
Surround your self with positive people! Don’t get sucked into the drama-filled work clique, choose friends and mentors who you see are positive people; forget the pessimists!
Don’t get caught up in the things you can’t control. Some things we just don’t have a say in, it may affect us, it may not, BUT don’t let it run your thoughts. Let it go! If it happens, it happens.
Now, go out and practice these positive points! Really pay attention to how your life starts to change because you made an effort to be positive!
Information used in the article can be found here:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
https://www.success.com/article/7-practical-tips-to-achieve-a-positive-mindset