Research is mounting for the health benefits of positive thinking. From enhancing your mood, reducing anxiety and depression, lessening pain, and even helping your body to heal – the power of the mind is monumental. But there is reason to believe that positive thinking isn’t enough.
How you think is often how you feel, think well, and feel well. But have you ever stopped to question why it’s so easy to focus on the bad? The problem is that your brain is still programmed to respond to negative emotions in the same way – by shutting off the outside world and limiting the options you see around you.
For example, when you’re worried out about everything you have to get done today, you may find it hard to actually start anything because you’re paralyzed by how long your to-do list has become. Or if you feel bad about not exercising or not eating healthy, all you think about is how little willpower you have, how you’re lazy and how you don’t have any motivation.
In each case, your brain closes off from the outside world and focuses on the negative emotions of fear, anger, and stress. These negative emotions prevent your mind from seeing the other options and choices that surround you. It’s your survival instinct.
While it’s great to change your negative emotions with positive thinking – the tunnel vision with negative emotions makes this challenging to complete. That’s where positive action comes into play. You may not be able to think yourself into a better place, without doing something better for yourself first.
It’s the combination of positive thinking with a positive action that makes positive changes.
That is exactly what we talk about on this episode of Simple Roots Radio. Listen in to learn why we need to add positive action to our life to get positive thinking to stick. Plus, I share one simple step you can take to make positive action a part of your natural daily rhythm.
motivation
It’s easy to get stuck inside our own heads. To get stuck on the spiral of negativity leading to negative actions, relationships, and a negative outlook on life. Think about the spiral; you’re bored so you get on social media. Social media makes you believe the lies that your life isn’t enough leading to envy. Envy leads to feelings of anger or sadness, worry, and anxiety which often comes out in another form of negative behavior.
It’s the vicious cycle of negative thinking leading to negative behavior.
One always comes along with the other, and over time, these negative behaviors become our new rhythm, our new normal.
While there is this big push for positive thinking – which is fantastic – it’s also a complicated task to succeed at. That’s because we’re stuck inside our own heads. You can’t just tell a depressed person to think well because the negativity has caused tunnel vision. It’s hard to see outside of your self.
That’s where positive action comes into play. It helps you get outside of yourself. To do something positive, which also translates into positive thinking. The more positive action you take, the more likely you are to change your natural rhythm to one of positivity and faster than just positive thinking alone.
It all boils down to the action.
quote
action plan
Clearly, the only way to get into a healthy rhythm of positive action is to add more to your day. Make a list of positive action that makes you feel good, brings you joy and happiness or things that you desire to do. Then when you get into the negative spiral, use this list to remind you of the positive action you can take to create positive thinking.
It’s all about one foot in front of the other.
Grab a sheet of paper and start making a list. Here are some examples to get you started:
- Connect with someone you love – Call a friend or go out on a spontaneous date night.
- Get outside – Go on a walk or grab a book and sit in the sun to read.
- Smile – Even if you have to force it.
- Practice Deep Breathing – Bring yourself back to a place of harmony.
- Play Music – And sing and dance like no one is watching.
- Do something for someone else – Giving is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Do something nice for someone else.
- Go back to your 5-Minute list and focus on one little thing {read about that here}
Continue to fill in the list based on what brings you joy, what makes you feel good.
subscribe to the show
Don’t forget to subscribe to Simple Roots Radio to make sure you are notified as soon as another podcast comes out. Sometimes I can be a little slow to notify you, and this ensures that you get the show right on your phone to listen anytime you want!
If you have some feedback to share or an exciting shout out on your journey, leave a note in the comments below. I would love to know your reactions to the show and how you’re taking steps in owning your own story.
Finally, if you enjoyed the show, I’d love it if you’d take a minute to leave a rating and review. Through these reviews, we can work to make the show better and align more closely with the information you need to live your best life. It only takes a minute and makes a world of difference in the life of this show.
I WOULD BE SO THANKFUL IF YOU WOULD
rate and review the show
click here for instructions on how to rate and review the show
