Make Your World a Little Brighter

I’m going on a seven day mental diet starting today. For seven days, I can’t say anything negative or harbor any negative thoughts. If I do, I must start over.

This may take a while. That’s a negative thought: Darn it! Tomorrow, I’ll have to start over. That means today was a total waste of makeup. Another negative thought: Darn it! I’m not any good at this. Darn it, again!

I didn’t realize my attitude was such a problem until I saw some examples of typical negative self-talk from the Mayo Clinic’s article on positive thinking So, now I realize I’m not only negative, but also typical. Darn it!

I consider myself a realist—practical and prudent. I don’t see the glass as half empty or half full. I see a glass of water…if you’re thirsty, drink it.

Well, what I believed to be practicality on my part is actually negativity. For instance, the thought, “There’s not enough time,” is not considered a sensible evaluation of current resources; it’s considered a typical negative thought. The preferred thought is: “Let’s reevaluate some priorities.”

So, if you believe there’s not enough time to learn how to think positively, let’s reevaluate some priorities.

Why should you spend time practicing positive thinking? Because a positive outlook may buy you more time—quality time, that is. Studies show that a positive attitude may help people cope with disease, recover from surgery, improve overall health and increase longevity.

There are limits, however. Genetics puts boundaries on our potential for positive thinking. For some, seeing a silver lining is second nature. For others, like me, it takes work to see silver instead of grey. But, as with any skill, practice helps us reach our peak potential.

We each have the power to make our own world a little brighter.

To get started, WebMD offers some pointers on positive thinking. Also try the “get happy” techniques at the end of the “Pursuit of Happiness” article.

Think happy thoughts!