Positive Thinking

Many people laugh at the idea of positive thinking as a means of relieving their stress but it something that we are all capable of and for the most part can do on our own without the aid of a teacher or practitioner to guide us.

What is Positive Thinking?

Put quite simply positive thinking is the ability to tell ourselves that regardless of how bad things are they can change and that we – as the individual involved – are empowered enough to change the situation.

Of course, for many people suffering from high levels of emotional stress this can be a daunting notion, especially when things around them seem to be going wrong and there seems to be no way to alter them.

One form of positive thinking is that of the written word. It is by sitting down and making lists of the things that are wrong in our lives, be they because of problems in the work place or at home, or problems of a financial nature, that we can start to make sense of the problems.

Make two columns – one for the problem and one for the possible solutions. This may seem rather straightforward but it is a good way of acclimatising oneself to the nature of the problems faced and ways in which the problem can be solved.

Also seeing the problems written down on paper can sometimes make them seem less personal, rather like reading about someone else’s problems; this in turn gives the individual involved the opportunity to think objectively about their problems rather than feel that everything is happening to them and there is no way out of the situation.

Set Yourself a Task

Another form of positive thinking is to set a daily task. If for example you have a particularly unpleasant duty to perform at work and you have been putting it off; give yourself the task of doing it today. In doing this you are not only focusing on the task to be performed but are empowering yourself with the motivation to carry it out.

Many people find this useful as it helps them to compartmentalise their day; breaking it down into morning, afternoon and evening. Many people see the new day as simply a jumble of thoughts, emotions and tasks to perform with no beginning, middle or end. Setting daily tasks and breaking your day down into manageable chunks can alleviate a lot of stress.

Talk to Yourself!

Another form of positive thinking is that of the spoken word. Many people laugh at other people talking to themselves but this is actually not as silly as it sounds. A lot of us verbalise what we are thinking because hearing ourselves say the words turns it from not just being a thought but being a suggestion.

This is similar to the auto suggestive nature of yoga, without having to take the time out to practice yoga. Again a lot of people talk to themselves because it helps them work through problems they are facing and also helps them with the decision making process.

The other use of the spoken word is to sit down with another person and talk through various issues. Many of us can relate to sitting down with a friend, family member or work colleague and discussing a problem that is bothering us. Afterwards, although the problem might still be in existence, it has taken on a different slant because we have talked it through and not only have we had input from another person but we have also talked the problem through for ourselves.

Positive thinking does not have to be reading a book on the subject but can be something that each of us through each day can do for ourselves with nothing more than a pen, a piece of paper and a quiet place to think.