Positive thinking with Suzanne!

Is your glass half full? 🥃

How you answer this question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic. It may even affect your health.

Some studies show that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is a vital part of effective stress management and how it's associated with many health benefits.

Understanding positive thinking:

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking says that you approach unpleasantness more positively and productively. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

Health benefits of positive thinking:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Higher resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Better cardiovascular health 
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

So how do we focus on positive thinking?

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking, but it does take time and practice. You're creating a new habit after all. Here are some ways to think and behave more positively and optimistically:

• Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's a relationship, finances, etc. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach more positively.
• Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mostly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.
• Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday occurrences. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle. Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes daily. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body, and learn techniques to manage stress.
• Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't speak to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.
• Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.

This blog is brought to you as a wellness point by one of the leaders at Nebraska Family Dentistry. Suzanne helps to manage the HR area in every one of our Lincoln dental offices

Learn more about living a healthier lifestyle:

https://nebraskafamilydentistry.com