The Power of Positive Thinking

Positive thinking means having constructive, optimistic and positive thoughts. With this mentality, a person inevitably develops a positive attitude, an enhanced self image and high self esteem.

An optimist, like the pessimist, will face the same day to day problems and discomforts. The difference is the person with optimism is able to easily put things into its proper perspective. She assumes positive intents in people's behaviors, does not get upset easily and bounce back from a failed attempt, fast.

This hopeful outlook or positive expectancy is the reason why people who think positive attract good things in life. The negative thinking people also attract events, situations and things into their life but they are often unhappy with the outcome. This is because the law of attraction works for both. It gives everybody what they expect.

Your thoughts that comprise of mental images and self talk are on automatic mode. When you see, hear, smell or touch something, you mind comes out with its mental representation. You will then find yourself feeling something.

So what you can do to overcome negativity is to catch these thoughts. But with several thousand thoughts going on in your wakeful hours, it's hard to do. The easiest solution is to pause each time you feel an emotion rising.

Ask yourself, "What am I feeling right now? and "What makes me feel this way? or "Why do I feel this way?"

You achieve two things. You start to notice your emotion and the trigger that causes it. Consciously talk to yourself and challenge the negative thoughts and limiting beliefs that you have been entertaining all this while. Replace them with positive affirmations. Say to yourself, "The next time I will choose to ..." Fill in whatever you choose to feel or think.

To change from negative thinking to positive thinking, you may have to change your interpretations.

Whatever happened during your childhood or in the past are long gone. They happened for a reason which you may not have understood then. Now that you are an adult, you can assume that they happened to teach you some lessons about life.

Everyone faces adversities, disappointments and failures. If you think you've got it bad, someone out there may have gone through a worse situation. Stop giving yourself excuses and justifications. There is no point in hanging to the past. The future is more important.

Tap into your mind and deliberately recall the feelings of previous pleasant experiences. No matter how bad things have been, there must be some beautiful memories that uplift you and will put a smile on your face.

If you can't recall any, make up one. Use your creative visualization to imagine encouraging mental pictures. It will not only uplift your spirit but will keep you occupied with fertile thoughts which will lead to more of them. Slowly but surely you will develop positive thinking and attract what you have imagined into your life.

Who you hang around with will affect your way of thinking. You can't avoid toxic people all the time but you can choose to limit your associations with them.

If you have to remain around them, just watch and observe how they behave, speak and think.

If you just can't find anyone who has an optimistic outlook, read, watch or listen to motivational, self improvement and self help books, audio or video recordings.

Click here to choose your choice of self help books, CDs, videos and MP3s.

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