Are you a “glass half-empty” or “glass half-full” kind of person? How you answer this classic question about positive thinking might reveal a lot about your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you’re more optimistic or pessimistic—and it can even influence your health too.
Studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can have a big impact on various aspects of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that comes with optimism is especially important for managing stress effectively, and effective stress management is linked to many health benefits. If you tend to be more on the pessimistic side, don’t worry—you can definitely learn positive thinking skills.
Understanding Positive Thinking and Self-Talk
Positive thinking doesn’t mean ignoring life’s less enjoyable situations. It simply means approaching them in a more positive and productive way. You expect the best to happen, not the worst.
Positive thinking often begins with your self-talk—those unspoken thoughts that continuously run through your mind. These thoughts can be either positive or negative. Some are based on logic and reason, while others might stem from misconceptions or preconceived ideas about what might happen due to a lack of information.
If your self-talk tends to be mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely to be pessimistic. But if your thoughts are generally positive, you’re likely an optimist—someone who practices positive thinking.
The Health Benefits of Positive Thinking
Researchers are continuing to study the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Some potential health benefits associated with positive thinking include:
- Longer lifespan
- Lower rates of depression
- Reduced distress and pain
- Greater resistance to illness
- Better overall psychological and physical well-being
- Improved cardiovascular health and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
- Lower risk of death from cancer
- Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions
- Lower risk of death from infections
- Enhanced coping skills during tough times and stress
It’s not entirely clear why people who practice positive thinking enjoy these health benefits. One theory suggests that having a positive outlook helps you manage stress more effectively, which in turn reduces its harmful effects on your body.
Another thought is that positive and optimistic individuals tend to live healthier lifestyles—they get more physical activity, eat a healthier diet, and avoid smoking or excessive drinking.
Identifying Negative Thinking
Not sure if your self-talk is positive or negative? Here are some common forms of negative self-talk you might recognize:
- Filtering: You only focus on the negative aspects of a situation and ignore any positives. For example, you might have had a great day at work, completed your tasks on time, and received compliments. But that evening, you only remember the tasks you didn’t get to and forget about the praise you received.
- Personalizing: When something bad happens, you automatically blame yourself. For instance, if plans with friends get canceled, you might assume it’s because no one wants to be around you.
- Catastrophizing: You jump to the worst possible conclusion without any real evidence that the worst will happen. Maybe the drive-through gets your coffee order wrong, and you start thinking that your whole day will be a disaster.
- Blaming: You try to attribute responsibility for something that went wrong to someone else rather than taking accountability for it yourself.
- Saying you “should” do something: You focus on all the things you think you should be doing and then beat yourself up for not doing them.
- Magnifying: You make minor problems seem much bigger than they are.
- Perfectionism: Setting impossible standards for yourself and trying to be perfect can set you up for failure.
- Polarizing: You see things in only two extremes—either good or bad—with no in-between.
Recognizing these patterns can help you become more aware of your negative self-talk and start shifting toward more positive thinking.
Focusing on Positive Thinking
You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. It’s a simple process, but it takes time and practice—after all, you’re building a new habit. Here are some ways to adopt a more positive and optimistic mindset:
- Identify areas to change: If you want to become more optimistic and practice positive thinking, start by pinpointing the areas of your life where you tend to think negatively—whether it’s work, your daily commute, major life changes, or a relationship. Begin by focusing on one of these areas and think about how you can approach it more positively. For example, try replacing a negative thought with a positive one when you feel stressed.
- Check yourself: Throughout the day, take a moment to evaluate your thoughts. If you find yourself thinking negatively most of the time, try to reframe those thoughts in a more positive light.
- Be open to humor: Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during tough times. Look for humor in everyday situations. When you can find joy in life’s little moments, you’ll feel less stressed.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle: Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes most days of the week. You can break it up into shorter 5- or 10-minute sessions throughout the day. Regular exercise can boost your mood and reduce stress. Maintain a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body, get enough sleep, and learn techniques for managing stress.
- Surround yourself with positive people: Make sure you’re surrounded by positive, supportive people who can offer helpful advice and feedback. Being around negative people can increase your stress and make you doubt your ability to manage it in a healthy way.
- Practice positive self-talk: A simple rule to follow is this: Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else. Be kind and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought pops into your head, evaluate it rationally and replace it with an affirmation of the good things about you. Focus on things you’re thankful for in your life.
Also Read: How do I Overcome Limiting Beliefs?
Here are some examples of negative self-talk and how you can reframe them with a positive twist:
- Negative self-talk: “I’ve never done it before.” Positive thinking: “It’s an opportunity to learn something new.”
- Negative self-talk: “It’s too complicated.” Positive thinking: “I’ll tackle it from a different angle.”
- Negative self-talk: “I don’t have the resources.” Positive thinking: “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
- Negative self-talk: “I’m too lazy to get this done.” Positive thinking: “I couldn’t fit it into my schedule, but I can re-examine my priorities.”
- Negative self-talk: “There’s no way it will work.” Positive thinking: “I can try to make it work.”
- Negative self-talk: “It’s too radical a change.” Positive thinking: “Let’s take a chance.”
- Negative self-talk: “No one bothers to communicate with me.” Positive thinking: “I’ll see if I can open the channels of communication.”
- Negative self-talk: “I’m not going to get any better at this.” Positive thinking: “I’ll give it another try.”
Practicing Positive Thinking Everyday
If you tend to have a negative outlook, don’t expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, your self-talk will gradually become less self-critical and more accepting. You might also find yourself less critical of the world around you.
When you maintain a generally optimistic state of mind, you’re better equipped to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. This ability can contribute to the many well-documented health benefits associated with positive thinking.