Positivity

Positivity is defined as the practice of being positive or dawning a positive attitude. All of us in life have been told by someone to be positive. Some of us may have even felt the effects of keeping a positive outlook in life. But, what does positivity really mean and how does one hold on to it and draw powers from it?

Does it mean happiness? No! Positivity is often confused with being happy in all scenarios. Positivity does lead to happiness, but there’s a lot more to it.

It means looking at all situations in your life positively and concentrating on your ability to deal with tough situations, rather than letting them bring you down. Fixating on the effects of your problem can make it even harder for you to deal with it.

A negative outlook on life results in negative emotions. These emotions impair your ability to think, hamper your productivity, and can even have a very harmful effects on your health.

Negativity has been widely linked to stress, impaired mental health, and various other diseases.

Benefits of Positivity

Positive thinking has been linked to various benefits. We shall start with the health benefits:

Stress Relief

Stress has become a huge part of our lives in the modern world. Whether it is work-related or related to your personal life, every individual suffers from stress at some point in their lives. Studies show that positive thinking helps individuals relieve stress.

Depression

Positive thinking leads to acceptance of the problem, giving you the ability to work on the solution. Failure to do so, often spirals one into depression.

Improved Immune System

The immune system of the human body responds to positive thinking. The recovery time for common diseases is faster in patients who very learn to smile through the ailment without becoming cynical.

Hypertension

Hypertension is the condition of suffering from high blood pressure. It is a disease in which lifestyle changes are part of the treatment.

One of those changes can be positive thinking. A study reports that among people that have a family history of hypertension, the ones who exercise positivity are far less likely to develop the condition than people with a negative outlook.

Longevity

Studies link positive thinking to increased life spans. And by quite a margin!

Some studies say that the average life span of a positive thinker is 10 years more than a negative thinker.

This is believed to be true because of the overall physical and mental health benefits of Positive thinking.

Mental Health

The mental health of a human being is one of the most important factors in their life. Impaired mental health can result in wrong decision making, rash actions, and impaired cognitive functioning.

Positive thinking improves the mental health of a person by allowing them to be in a better state of mind.

Improved Pain Tolerance

It’s easy for anyone who is suffering from chronic pain to constantly focus on their pain. This can actually make the pain worse.

Positivity can direct your focus towards something better, and help cope with the pain, and its symptoms.

Additional Benefits of Positive Thinking

Positivity has a significant number of direct health benefits but there are other plus points of being positive as well.

Better Decision-Making Ability

Positivity allows an individual to analyse the situation in depth before making a decision. A negative outlook leads to rash, regrettable decisions.

Personal Growth

A positive outlook leads to being energetic, making good decisions and trying new things. These practices result in the individual gaining worthwhile experiences, gaining new skills and inculcating good habits.

Positive thinking is considered a crucial aspect of leadership skills

Better Grasping Power

Positivity is linked to faster and more effective learning. A positive attitude creates interest and willingness to learn new things.

Increased Productivity

Studies show that people with positive attitudes accomplish more than the ones with negative approaches.

Feel Good Factor and Increased Self-esteem

Positive thinking leads to a feel-good factor and better self-esteem. Both of these factors are very important in the pursuit of a happy life.

Credits: Pexels Caption: Embracing positivity is a choice. A choice which leads to happiness.

But Why Don’t We Embrace Positivity? Why are We Negative?

Positivity has amazing benefits, yet many individuals do not think positively. This happens because positivity is not developed overnight.

It is difficult to develop a positive attitude and that’s why a host of people are negative.

Negativity arises from negative situations. Situations such as work pressure, job losses, fighting with family members and so on.

These situations lead to negative emotions like anger, unhappiness, and fear. These situations are bad but the easiest way to deal with them is by giving our best.

We as individuals cannot be at our best if we focus on the negative factors and not on how to fix the problem.

Our ability to deal with problems is impaired when we embrace negativity instead of positivity.

People do not embrace positivity because they are stuck in their ways. It may be difficult to stay away from the negative and channelize positivity, but it is not impossible.

How to Embrace Positivity?

The following steps can be taken to develop positive thinking:

Change in Perspective

A perspective is very important when it comes to feelings and making decisions.

A simple change in perspective can go a long way. There are generally more than one starting points when it comes to approaching a problem.

Looking at the same issue the same way over an over again, could led to paralysis analysis, which leads to frustration, which fuels negativity.

Identify and Accept Problem

Identifying and accepting a problem is the first step towards attaining a positive attitude. When we do not accept problems, we focus on all its negative effects and end up wasting mental and physical energy.

Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle which includes exercise and balance diet has a wonderful effect on a person’s mood. The mind body connection is not to be taken lightly.

Sometimes, a major source of our negativity simply ends up being a vitamin deficiency. Take the examples of B12 and D3 deficiencies.

They are common, and could lead to fatigue and impaired cognitive functioning. This, ultimately leads to negativity.

Credits: Pexels Caption: A proper workout is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

Self-motivation We live in a world where we are surrounded by critics. While criticism can be constructive, in most cases it is not. Criticism hits even harder when its self-criticism. So, appreciate yourself and don’t be too unnecessarily hard on yourself all the time. As they say, the way you perceive the outside world, is often a mirror image of what’s going on inside your head. Be Open to Change If you identify a problem and the solution requires changing something at a fundamental level, do not be afraid of it. Change can lead to wonderful things. Embracing positivity often required making bold, courageous moves. Positive Reading There are various books which give detailed techniques and theories as to how you can embrace positivity. Some positive thinking books are: The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson These are just a few examples of books on positivity. There is a wide range of such books available on positivity available out there. Moreover, if you like reading, getting lost in the world created by an author, even if it’s fictitious, is great way of escaping the clutches of negativity.

Credits: Pexels Caption: The more positive books you read, the more strategies you can apply to be positive.

Meditation

Meditation has allowed a lot of people to embrace positivity. It has various other health benefits as well. It is widely practised in the world.

Credits: Pexels Caption: Meditation boosts positivity.

Avoiding Negativity

Negative emotions arise from negativity and there’s no shortage of that. The news today largely focusses on negative things. It’s always critiquing government policies, the police, and large organisations. This leads to one only being exposed to negativity.

There is a vast amount of positive news in India. Not just news, a balance must be found between positive and negative activities around us. This applies to information as well.

Positive Use of Social Media

Social media has become an essential part of our daily lives, but it too is capable of having a negative impact.

Some people spread negativity. Additionally, it’s easy to get fixated on other people’s success rather than focusing on your own. Avoid this!

Choosing the Right People

Following people that reflect a positive thinking status. These people can have a massive positive effect on you and motivate to achieve your goals.

Conclusion

Positivity is a simple concept with massive benefits. The benefits range from health to aspects of daily life. The journey to becoming a positive person is not easy but it is not impossible either. Start with small steps, see the results yourself and then go forward. There are many positive thinking books and blogs available to help you gain a positive attitude. Positivity should be embraced.