Wellness And Its Connection To A Positive Mindset

Gram’s Wisdom 44: Positivity and wellness.

When you feel well it’s a positive feeling. Positive thinking can make you feel better at the moment, but can it make you feel better overall?

My Gram certainly thought so. Gram understood the direct connections between exercise and a balanced diet on your physical wellness, she didn’t see positivity as a substitute for taking care of yourself. But she felt there was a definite link between positivity and your physical and mental wellness.

She often reminded me as I grew up, that my well-being was in my control. To feel well, tell yourself that you do. To be well, do the positive things that contribute to health and wellness.

Don’t beat yourself up.

Usually, stress is thought of as coming from external factors like work, traffic, or family friction, beyond your control. But a surprising amount of stress in life comes from within.

When a difficult situation arises, or even if you anticipate a difficult situation, some of you tend to criticize yourselves and begin imagining the things that could go wrong.

While it is important to understand the possible downsides of a situation, if you spend too much time thinking about the dangers of a situation or how we may be unprepared to deal with them, it can drastically increase the levels of unhealthy stress that can come from a situation. This stress not only makes it harder for you to think straight and control the situation, but too much stress over a long period contributes to health problems including weight gain and heart disease.

The next time that you begin to worry about a situation, look at it from a viewpoint of finding ways to make the situation favorable rather than thinking about how the situation could get worse. This small example of positive thinking will lower your stress levels, making you feel more comfortable and helping you to maintain control over the situation.

Positivity and other coping mechanisms.

Stressing about negative situations does more than prevent you from solving the problem at hand, it can also make problems worse and even create further difficulties.

If you are stressed or otherwise upset about something, it can be easy to slip into making unhealthy choices, whether that’s turning to comfort food or drugs. Even legal ones like tobacco and alcohol can quickly harm your health.

Thinking optimistically protects your health from the main effects of stress as well as these additional problems that can come on when you are drawn to manage your stress in unhealthy ways.

A positive mindset bolsters your health.

It was already discussed above that excessive anxiety over too long a period can be bad for the heart. This can be partially due to those secondary concerns mentioned in that last paragraph, like a diet. However, it can also be due to stress itself.

Stress is a complicated phenomenon in the body, involving a lot of chemicals being created and released into your blood. This cascade of events evolved in humans to help us run from predators or fight invaders, but a faster pulse and slowed digestion don’t help us get over the loss of a loved one or the frenzy of tax time. Our ancient ancestors needed the stress response to escape danger, but in today’s modern world it can tend to linger too long. This can be a draw on your body’s resources and can even prevent it from fighting an infection like it is supposed to.

Thinking positively can be good for your emotional health, but it may also help you to avoid whatever bug is going around.

Pondering positivity.

Your attitude is everything.

How you face life each day largely determines how you feel about your day. If you have a positive approach to life and yourself, even your most demanding days will feel tolerable. Thinking positively is a simple rule, the key to living a satisfying, fulfilled life. However, putting it into practice in your daily life can be more difficult.

Consistently thinking positive can be challenging. Maybe your self-confidence isn't as strong as it could be. If this is the case, you may need to take a leap of faith to think positively.

To be positive you must persevere.

Negativity is the human default, and everyone falls prey to it at some time or another. You are human, and you will stumble and even fall occasionally. The positive person is not faint-hearted, he knows that to stay down is a failure, not a fall. After a short letdown, you’ll remind yourself that with your intelligence and perseverance, something good will happen soon. You can’t lose by approaching life’s events with positive thinking.

We get what we expect.

Dare to think your project offering will be chosen. Whatever we expect or believe will occur will indeed come to pass. So, if you believe that you'll do well on a work project, you will. If you expect not to do well, then you likely won't. The implication is that if you can manage your thoughts, you can think your way to success.

When you aren’t sure about how to think about a situation, approach life positively. With enough positivity, you can change your life.

My final thought.

Looking on the bright side can be challenging, but if you don’t take it seriously it’s impossible. While some people avoid trying very hard to be positive because they think that it’s just a bunch of feel-good nonsense, hopefully, this article has helped you to understand some physical and mental benefits of positive thinking.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Let me know if I’m on track with the kind of information you are looking for.

For more information, check out these posts.

The Power Of Positivity.

Does Your Role Model Have A Positive Mindset?

Is Your Mindset Naturally Active or Passive?

Gram’s wisdom 27

Have you considered how your mindset works for you? Maybe not. Maybe you take it for granted. It’s just the way you think about things, and you haven’t bothered to give it a designation of some kind.  

That’s the way my Gram was. So many of the trendy words we use today would have meant nothing to her. Gram was an eyes and heart wide open person. The epitome of an extrovert, her mind and hands were always busy doing what needed to be done. She may not have called it so, but Gram had an active, engaged mindset.

Until the age of ten, I was terrified of angering anyone, ever. Gram took me aside, saying I could always do or not do a thing if I wanted, not that I always should, but that the choice was mine to make. Then she said, when facing difficulties, the choices are usually the same, to act, to accept what can’t be changed at the moment, or passively do nothing and allow events to roll over me.

Gram was an energetic woman, who was actively grateful, engaged, positive, kind, learning, resilient, and abundant. She was steeped in a fix it or forget it culture. She told me that if you live passively, you will wake one day to find your life has passed you by.

When I accepted this advice, some alterations were made to better fit my introverted nature. Mindsets are not static, or one size fits all, and we all need to make some adjustments.

Would you like to know more about Gram’s mindset? Then read this past post.

Abundance Is Not a Singular Pursuit

Mindset meaning

So, if you didn’t know, your mindset is a person’s way of thinking and their opinions. It is what urges you to take a certain action or nudges you to stop acting on something. It’s a story that you tell yourself about your identity and the world around you. The various types can mean different things to everyone, regarding how and why you think as you do. Remember every mindset has its benefits and drawbacks.

Do you know your mindset?

The number of mindsets that exist is determined by how much you generalize the term. Finding your type is key to your understanding the dynamics of how you operate in every single area of your life. The two primary types of mindsets highlighted here are an Active attitude and a Passive stance. They each have benefits and disadvantages.

If you have a passive mentality, you are inclined to believe that bad things always happen to you and that your future is in the hands of an uncaring fate. You believe that luck is a critical factor for success, or that you aren’t “meant to have XYZ.” You may be hesitant about committing to a position or even disparage your own opinions.

“Nothing happens until something moves.”

— Albert Einstein

Some sub-mindsets of a passive mindset include:

·  Avoid committing

·   Bottle emotions

·   Defers to Others

·   Lack confidence

·   Seeks approval

·   Struggle to make life decisions

Characteristics include:

1.   Accepts unjustified criticism

2.   Desire to keep the peace

3.   Fail to act

4.   Go with the flow

5.   Unable to deal with confrontation

6.   Mirrors the characteristics of others

7.   Say yes to not disappoint others

8.   Self corrects or edits speech

9.   Shirk responsibility

10. Stay trapped in a comfort zone

If you have an active style you believe you have ownership and are in control of your reactions to life. You expect to have favorable responses to your actions. You don’t wait for things to happen to you but seek out and explore new opportunities.

Some sub-mindsets of an active mindset include:

·   Confidence

·   Direction

·   Gratitude

·   Intent

·   Ownership

·   Success

Characteristics include:

1.   Ably change and develop skills

2.   Acceptance of responsibility

3.   Commit to accomplishment and growth

4.   Deal with challenges

5.   Feel empowered

6.   Feel gratitude for what you have

7.   Learn from failure

8.   Make opportunities

9.   Think big and know what you want

Your mindset significance

Those in the “passive” category tend to feel powerless over any ability to influence their established nature while those in the “active” category are far more confident about who is calling the shots concerning their actions.

There are a few other significant differences relative to these two attitudes toward the theory of mindset and how much control any given person has over their own lives.

The primary one being how a person views mistakes or obstacles and the attitude that they foster when the inevitable hindrances arise. For example, those with a passive style are apt to become easily downcast by impediments and are far more likely to “throw in the towel” so to speak at the first setback, whereas those with an active attitude are far more positive in their outlook and choose a more inventive tactic to overcome difficulties.

Given what is already understood about the two opposing approaches to mindset, the passive attitude does not leave much room for growth, learning, or personal prosperity, while the active mentality is the healthier, more constructive option that is most likely to maximize an individual’s success and resulting overall happiness in life.

It is also vital when discussing this topic to consider just how our attitude can affect us other than our ability to develop and flourish and be successful.

For one, there is the knowledge that our mindset can have a major influence on our health and physical well-being, in that a person who tends to consistently be disheartened or depressed is far more likely to have that morose mentality suppress their immune system, which in turn means that those with a passive approach are more prone to illnesses and tend to take longer to recover from whatever ailment to which their pessimistic attitude has subjected them. 

People with an active mindset tend to prioritize themselves both mentally and physically. They may exercise regularly and get more restful sleep, so, they become sick less often and most certainly are inclined to be happier and healthier.

For more information read this post by Claudia Hammond.

How Your Mindset Determines Your Health

Understanding the power of choice

It is generally agreed upon among psychology and other professional experts on the subject that any person ultimately does have control over which mentality they choose to foster, meaning that simply because someone has been functioning with the passive mindset for any part or all their lives, this in no way means that they can’t choose to transform to a far more positive, active approach.

Overall, your mindset matters in all areas of your life, including your physical health no matter what phase of life you are in.

That means that there is hopeful news for those who find themselves mired in the pessimistic passive mentality in that their defeatist attitude toward their accomplishments and success need not be permanent and can always be improved upon.

My final thought

There are countless mindsets in my opinion because we are such multifaceted beings. They are not intrinsically good or bad. It is in our behavior that the benefit or drawback of a particular mindset can be seen. A passive person may feel he always defers to others, but he might always be chosen for the team because he works well with others.

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Create A Better Mood For Yourself

How is it you wake up some mornings feeling light and marvelous as if the world is your oyster and others as if a heavy dark cloud sits over your head making you want to bite people’s heads off? Why did you go to bed feeling one way and wake up feeling differently?

From early childhood, you understand that you have different feelings. Sometimes you will be in a good mood and other times you won’t. Flip-flop those moods frequently and you get labeled as a moody child. Do you really want to be that person? Why don’t people improve their mood? Is it because parents and teachers told us it’s just the way it is?

Changing How You Feel

Is it possible to create a better mood for yourself and feel better? Absolutely. Can you do the same for others? Sometimes, yes. If it is possible, why isn’t everyone always happy? It seems being happy is preferable to being in a bad mood.

Studies have shown it is possible to improve your mood. It can be as simple as thinking you're in a good mood. If you believe it, your attitude will change. In fact, even when you aren’t in a good mood, the simple act of smiling can perk you up. Act how you want to feel. That smile plus a cheery hello can then lift someone else’s mood. And when they return your smile and greeting it reinforces your own good mood. Before you know it your good mood is spreading like ripples in a pond.

Choose Positive People

If you want to better your mood, start hanging out with upbeat people. There’s nothing like a sourpuss to bring down a group. These cranky people seem to go out of their way to make sure everyone is as miserable as they are. By avoiding these people, you have less chance of being in a bad mood at the start.

Next, create an environment for yourself that lifts your spirits. If a certain type of music gets you pumped, play that music more often. Some people like to burn incense as they feel it can positively alter their moods.

Practice Gratitude

You should reflect on your life and be grateful for what you have. You have a lot to be thankful for if you're in good health. If your family is in good health, you should also be grateful. Your mood will naturally increase towards the positive when you appreciate such things.

Try not to worry about the mundane issues in your life. They are going to happen whether you worry or not. Just take care of them so that they aren’t hanging over your head. Don’t let things build to the point that they become a major matter.

Do What Makes You Happy

It may seem obvious, but do more things that make you happy and less that don’t. It’s not always possible to avoid adverse situations, but you don’t have to allow them to bring your mood down. After all, you control most of the activities in your life.

Sometimes, all that is needed is to change up your routine. If you are doing the same activities day in and day out, this can make anyone feel in a bad mood. Try stepping up your game and do something fun and out of the ordinary. In fact, make it a point to do this at least once every month.

Do You Need To Change Your Attitude

Change Your Attitude

Life hasn’t gone the way you had hoped. You don’t have the sorts of relationships you feel you deserve. You feel stuck in your same dead-end job, in a career you thought had some promise. But nothing has turned out as planned. You believe it just isn’t in your cards to have your dream life. However, what could be the problem is not having the right kind of attitude. You may want to explore changing your attitude and see if that doesn’t result in the improvements you seek for the life that you want.

The first step is to figure out if your attitude could use some adjusting. Do you find people trying to avoid you? Do you have a negative, defeatist, or spoiled attitude? Do you find that you get set off by the smallest incidents? You may have just ignored what people have told you about your having a bad attitude.

Don’t Take the Blame for Everything

The next time you are involved in some incident that goes bad, ask yourself this question. Is this something that was my responsibility? Go through the scenario from the perspective of an outsider observing you. Was there anything you could have done differently that would have changed the result? Think back to what you said or did and see if you were the one responsible.

“A quick temper will make a fool of you”

— Bruce Lee

You shouldn’t take the blame for everything. If you reach within and discover that others were responsible, then hold them to it. Be honest with this assessment. Just make sure that you have ruled out yourself as the culprit before doing this. If there are some gray areas, be the better person, and be willing to give in a bit.

Accept Both Good and Bad

When you go through this exercise, you will find you are in the wrong more often than you realized. Frequently you tell yourself how things would be better if only “they” would change. Remember there is no use to carp and complain about the attitudes of others. You cannot control this and cannot change them. Once you understand this, you can take the steps necessary to make appropriate changes in yourself. 

Don’t focus solely on the negative parts of your life. Accept both the good and bad. Be proud of all the positive accomplishments in your life and expand on their scope. But be willing to work diligently on changing the negative ones.

Readjust Your Thinking

Changing your attitude is a process. As such, it will take some time to readjust your thinking. You identify that you are not always right and continuously try to do what is necessary to avoid those activities again. When you do avoid them in the future, make sure you recognize that as an achievement as this is an important piece of the process.

Expect that others will recognize your changes when you commit to making them. Your attitude will transform for the better just by going through the process described. You will live a happier more fulfilled life. You will make new friends much more easily, and your present relationships both at home or on the job will be more rewarding.  

For additional tips on how to change your attitude check out this post by Michael Hyatt How a Shift in Your Vocabulary Can Instantly Change Your Attitude