Positive thinking

Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress

Positive thinking helps manage stress and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative self-talk with the examples provided.

Is your glass half empty or half full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking can reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it can even affect your outlook on life. Affect your health.

Indeed, several studies indicate that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. 

Positive thinking, often accompanied by optimism, is a key ingredient in effective stress management. And effective stress management has been linked to many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair - you can learn to think positively. 

Positive thinking simply means that you approach discomfort in a more positive and productive way. You think the best will come, not the worst.

Positive thinking often begins with self-talk. 

Narrative is an endless stream of unspoken thoughts running through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Part of your narrative comes from logic and reason. Other narratives can come from misconceptions that you create due to lack of information or expectations due to preconceived notions of what might happen.

If the thoughts running through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely to be pessimistic.

Identifying Negative Thoughts

Not sure if your self-talk is positive or negative? 

Some common forms of negative self-talk include:

Filter. 

You exaggerate the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all the positive aspects. For example, you had a great day at work. You completed your task ahead of time and were commended for your quickness and thoroughness. That night, you were so focused on your plan to complete more tasks that you forgot about the compliments you received.

Personalization. 

When something bad happens, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you heard that a night out with friends was cancelled, and you assumed the change of plans was because no one wanted to be with you. 

Disaster. 

You automatically predict the worst, without the fact that the worst will happen. The driver's coffee goes wrong, and you think the rest of your day will be a disaster.

Blame. 

You try to say that someone else is responsible for what happened to you instead of yourself. You avoid taking responsibility for your thoughts and feelings.

Saying you "should" do something

You think about all the things you think you should do and blame yourself for not doing them.

Magnifying glass. 

You make a big problem out of small problems.

Perfectionism. Sticking to impossible standards and trying to be perfect will set you up for failure. 

Polarizer.

You just see things as good or bad. 

Focus on Positive Thinking

You can learn how to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts. The process is simple, but it takes time and practice - you're creating a new habit after all. 

Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

Identify areas for change. 

If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify the areas in your life that you often think negatively, whether it's work, your daily commute, changes in life or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to take a more positive approach. Think of a positive thought to manage your stress instead of a negative one.

Test yourself

Periodically throughout the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mostly negative, try to find ways to give them a positive spin.

Be open to humor. 

Allow yourself to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Find humor in everyday events. When you can laugh at life, you will feel less stressed.

Follow a healthy lifestyle. 

Get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. You can also break it down into 5- or 10-minute increments throughout the day. Exercise can have a positive effect on mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body.  Sleep well. And learn techniques for stress management.

Surround yourself with positive people. 

Make sure the people in your life are positive, supportive people you can count on to provide helpful advice and feedback.

Negative people can increase your stress levels and make you question your ability to handle stress in a healthy way.

Practice positive self-talk. 

Start by following one simple rule: don't tell yourself anything that you wouldn't tell anyone else. Be gentle and encourage yourself. If a negative thought comes to mind, evaluate it rationally and respond by saying what's good for you. Think about the things you are grateful for in your life.

Practice Positive Thinking Every Day

If you tend to have a negative attitude, don't expect to become optimistic overnight. But with practice, your self-talk will eventually be less self-critical and more self-accepting. You can also become less critical of the world around you.

When your mindset is generally optimistic, you are better able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. This ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking