Is Positive Thinking the elixir of success?
In this series on my 7 pet hates of bad Personal Development or Self-Improvement Coaches, the second of these is: –
“Focus on Positive Thinking. We can programme our brains to only focus on positive thinking.”
First, I want to acknowledge our thoughts have a profound impact on our mental health and well-being. I also agree that negative thoughts can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, but the question is, “How do you maintain a positive mindset and avoid negative thoughts?” Here are 4 often voiced solutions.
1. Practice Gratitude
“One of the most effective ways to cultivate a positive mindset is to practise gratitude. Gratitude involves focusing on the positive things in your life and being thankful for them”.
Practising Gratitude and keeping a journal where you regularly remind yourself of all the things you’re grateful for is an excellent habit and will make you feel more positive, but is it going to remove the cause of the original negativity?
2. Challenge Negative Thoughts
“One way to retrain the brain to think positively is to challenge negative thoughts when they arise. For example, if you think “I’m not good enough,” ask yourself if that thought is really true”.
Deep down you already know it’s not true.
3. Surround Yourself with Positivity
“The people and things we surround ourselves with can have a significant impact on our mental health and well-being. By filling your life with positivity, you can retrain your brain to think positively as well.”
Followers of this philosophy usually trot out the quote attributed to Jim Rohn, i.e. “You become the average of the 5 people you spend most time with.” Now, I agree the environment is fundamental to your well-being, but it is the foundation for growth and not the complete solution.
4. Practice Self-Care
“Self-care is a critical component of mental health and well-being. When we take care of our physical and emotional needs, we are better equipped to handle stress and maintain a positive mindset.”
Nobody is going to argue practising Self-Care is anything but positive and necessary, but is it going to ensure a positive mindset?
I’m a great believer in Positive thinking but, wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t continually have to spend energy working on it? How about you uncover the reason for the negativity rather than avoiding it by continually telling yourself a positive attitude will fix the pain? We’ll naturally feel positive when we root out and work through the causes of the negativity before leaving them in the past.
Whatever approach you follow, be positive, but don’t allow fear to stop you from dealing with whatever is holding you back.
What have you been avoiding?
