Exploring the Power of Positive Thinking in a World of Anxiety
Stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues are at an all-time high in American society. The data continues to reveal a bleak picture for the future and something must happen, lest society fall apart at the seams. Could the power of positive thinking be enough to spark a revolution?
Positive Thinking to the Rescue
According to data gathered from the National Comorbidity Study Replication, 19.1 percent of American adults have some type of anxiety disorder. An estimated 31.1 percent will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Anxiety disorders qualify as mental health issues and should be addressed as such. So while we don’t want to take this topic lightly or assume that finding freedom from anxiety is as simple as making a choice, there is some element of control involved for many of those afflicted with bouts of stress and anxiety.
In some cases, the power of positive thinking can be an effective remedy – allowing people to shift their perspective and rediscover the joy of life. Having said that, here are some practical ways to embrace positive thinking:
- Ditch the News
“It feels like violence is everywhere, and with constant access to the news, we are experiencing the stress and violence that comes with it,” Karen Le writes for InMyArea.com. “82 percent of Americans check-in with the news at least once a day, and one-in-five Americans report that they consistently keep up with their social media. Extensive media coverage and advancements in technology allow us to consume tragedy and hysteria faster than we have ever imagined.”
If you want to reduce anxiety and embrace positivity, this is the best place to start. Disconnect from the news and live your life. There’s very little benefit to be extracted from being glued to the 24-hour news cycle. Get outside, breathe some fresh air, and make your own news.
- Practice Gratitude
No matter how bad things get or how challenging life becomes, we all have things in our lives that we can be thankful. By making a conscious effort to practice gratitude, we can embrace positivity with much less effort.
You can practice gratitude by saying thank you, smiling more often, and acknowledging the simple blessings in your life. You may even choose to keep a journal.
“Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things you are thankful for,” life coach Catherine Sternberg writes. “You can make daily, weekly, or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.”
- Try Meditation
Your thoughts, expectations, and beliefs are like magnets that control everything that enters your life – both negative and positive. In order to manifest more positive experiences in your life, you need to change the way you think.
Meditation is a fantastic tool for improving the way you think. It peels back the layers of worry, anxiety, fear, and depression that interrupt your thought processes and enables you to cut to the core of who you are and what you want to be. This sort of clarity is bound to breed greater positivity.
- Be Selective With Friends
You are the combination of the people you spend the most time with. Whether it’s your parents, kids, neighbors, coworkers, or friends, it’s imperative that you be selective with the individuals you hang out and socialize with. Negative people will tear you down, while positive people will build you up.
- Affirm Your Strengths
We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. The pessimist spends all of his time ruminating on the latter. The optimist recognizes that weaknesses exist, but prefers to focus on the strengths as a way of staying positive. Be sure to affirm your strengths with regularity. It’ll put you in a better mood.
Finding Freedom From Anxiety
Anxiety is a serious issue with very real consequences. But in some cases, minor and isolated issues of anxiety can be overcome via positive thinking. Be sure to put yourself in situations where you’re able to clearly see the world around you and all of the good it has to offer.