|
|
|
Conditioning of the mind
The human mind plays an extremely important role in our perception of things. A pessimistic mindset will result in a gloomy picture of whatever we see, whereas an optimistic or a positive outlook will do the opposite. From a simple placebo to aromatherapy, positive thinking techniques have the power to alleviate illness, stress, pessimism, self-pity, anxiety and other behavioural negatives.
Carol Ryff, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, says: “There is a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn’t just a state of mind. It also has linkages to what’s going on in the brain and in the body.” Her research study shows that individuals with higher levels of well-being on account of positive thinking have lower cardiovascular risk, lower levels of stress hormones and lower levels of inflammation.
Glaser, director of the Ohio State University’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, studied the mind-body connection. He came to the conclusion that chronic stress and psychological stress impedes the recovery of wounds, impairs the effectiveness of vaccines and weakens the immune system of caregivers.
According to Herbert Benson, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, when patients start focusing on something positive rather than dwelling on their illness, they are able to realise their goals and as such give a new meaning to life.
This is because a positive attitude assists in combating the negative effects of pessimism and stress as well as enabling the body to take advantage of its natural healing capacity. For instance, a placebo (dummy pill) given to patients can have a miraculous effect on their health. As a “fake wonder drug”, the placebo implants a positive feeling in the patients who automatically feel that they can get better by using it.
Today, scientists believe that the placebo effect is actually more physical than psychological. The predominant reason is that expecting benefit from a make-believe drug can trigger the same neurological pathways of healing as real medication does.
In addition, scientists at the University of Michigan discovered that when people are told that they are getting a painkiller (in fact a placebo), their brains immediately release more endorphins. These chemicals then start acting as natural painkillers by blocking the transmission of pain signals between the nerve cells.
Dr Fabrizio Benedetti of the University of Torino Medical School hooked patients experiencing pain to a computerised morphine injection system. In some cases, the computer administered a dose without their knowledge, and in others, a nurse just pretended to give it to them. But the morphine was up to 50 per cent more effective when patients knew it was coming.
Survival in today’s world increasingly requires a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), which assists us in seeking a path to self-improvement, a productive outlook on life, a better job, a healthier relationship and financial security. According to Napoleon Hill — one of the best motivational authors of all times — a PMA consists of an honest, well-balanced way of thinking, a successful consciousness, an all-embracing philosophy of living, and the ability to follow through with the correct actions and reactions.
Researchers, psychologists and writers propose countless positive thinking techniques. However, the following techniques can be implemented easily by everyone:
Developing self-motivators
The 4Bs: Bed, Bath, Bus and Bench are effective places where we can repeat our affirmations. Tailored to our specific purposes, these sentences composed in the present tense without any negative construction can help us stay motivated and make our search for greener pastures easy.
Examples of such sentences include: “I am a confident individual and no one can intimidate me”, “I feel healthy, I feel happy and I feel terrific”, or “I strongly believe I am creative. Therefore, I can find a creative solution to this problem.” This technique may seem trivial, but it can really help.
Trying it without inhibitions is the key. The more we repeat our self-motivator, the more it and the values it expresses become a habit. Repeating loudly and clearly also helps a great deal.
We must ensure that our self-talk is non-judgmental and blame-free. Our self-talk should be free of such words as “musts”, “shoulds”, “nots” and “don’ts”. Ideally, our mistakes should never colour our feelings about our prospects. Giving ourselves positive suggestions is important, as it refines our self-talk.
Speaking positively
This technique suggests that we never talk in a manner that leaves us as the passive victims of circumstance. For instance, instead of saying, “Today I’ve got to update the website”, one should say, “Today I’ve decided to or I want to… .” The latter puts us in charge of our lives and our actions.
In addition, when problems surface we must describe them as opportunities or challenges to others as well as ourselves. Last but not least, speaking positively suggests that we must strive to become go-getters (with an “I can” attitude) by analysing situations from a positive perspective.
Projecting ourselves
By projecting a strong and confident self-image, we can turn our former weaknesses into future strengths. The more we train ourselves to act as if we are unbeatable and full of confidence, the more others will believe it and the more we will see ourselves as invincible. Introspection is essential for successful implementation of this technique.
Visualising the future
Recommended by personal development experts, this technique can be considered as a mental rehearsal of future events or interactions. By visualising the outcome we want, in as much detail as possible, can help us boost our confidence, counter any negative thoughts with positive affirmations and develop a successful action plan to achieve our goals.
In addition to the above techniques, following are some simple yet highly effective methods to rid ourselves of our negativities (misconceptions, failures, resentments and remorse) from our system:
— Immediately cutting off negative thoughts without analysing or defending them and filling our mind with positive thoughts about people who care about us, fun moments, successful incidents and our strengths;
— Re-examining our expectations and our priorities in life;
— Withdrawing from situations and people who make us feel miserable and worthless;
— Trying to break out of a rut by finding something important to do or learning something new;
— Reading inspirational material or stories of successful people;
— Engaging in pleasurable and altruistic activities;
— Finding three things that really make us feel good in times of adversity;
— Make it a rule to treat one of our five senses to something positive and valuable each day. For instance, visiting a bakery and inhaling the aroma, watching something interesting on TV, or simply admiring the nature.
The writer zanearts@excite.com is an information architect and trainer
|
|
|
|
