13 January 2024
Margo Lestz
Head of Communications
Benefits of Positive Thinking
Research has shown that consistently thinking positive thoughts helps you stay more relaxed, which means you have less stress. And, as we all know, stress has negative effects on your health as well as many other areas of your life.
When you learn to control your thoughts and keep them positive, you might experience some fantastic benefits: Happy people have less stress, live longer and healthier lives, and have better coping skills.
Take Control of Your Thoughts
But if you are a negative person, don’t worry, all is not lost. You can learn to be positive. It starts with your self-talk. We all have a stream of thoughts that run through our minds constantly. Often, we don’t even notice them, but our mind is always working and giving us information. Start to pay attention to those thoughts and take control of them.
Pay attention to what you are thinking about a certain situation. Are you expecting it to go pear-shaped? Are you listing, in your mind, all the things that might go wrong? If so, just stop and take control of those thoughts. Make an effort to think about what will happen if everything goes right.
Positive thinking is a habit, and it takes practice and time to master it. Don’t give up. The outcome will be worth it.
Tips to Help You be Positive
Laugh – Don’t take yourself or life too seriously. Laughter relieves stress.
Live a Healthy Lifestyle – Exercise gets those positive endorphins flowing, and eating right gives your body and mind the energy they need.
Take Time for Mindfulness – Give yourself some quiet time. We are bombarded most of our waking hours by our electronic devices. Shut them off and focus your mind on positivity.
Associate with Positive People – Surround yourself with positive people. Stay away from negative people.
Make Sure Your Self-Talk is Positive – Be kind to yourself. Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else. Pretend you are talking to a dear friend and encourage yourself.
Practice Gratitude – Think about the things you are thankful for.
Change Your Self-Talk
Here are some examples of negative self-talk and how you can change it into positive self-talk:
I don’t think I can do this –> I’ll give it my best try. It might work, or, at least, I’ll learn something from the experience.
It’s too complicated for me –> I can figure it out by tackling one piece at a time. I can always ask someone who knows more about it than I do.
The change is too big –> I can give it a go. It will be a new experience.
No one is interested in me –> I’ll make an effort to be interested in others.
This area of my life is in such a mess, there is no way out –> I’ll keep looking until I find a solution.
Practice Every Day
Don’t expect to turn all your negative thoughts into positive ones overnight. Developing a positive outlook takes time and practice. Just aim to get a bit better each day. Eventually, you’ll notice that your glass is becoming half full more often than half empty.
A Positive Attitude Towards Money
Finance is an area where many people have trouble thinking positively – especially if they are currently experiencing money problems or they have had problems in the past. However, just like in every other area of your life, your thoughts, whether positive or negative, have an impact on your financial success.
Tips to Have a Positive Financial Outlook
Get some positive self-talk going. Tell yourself that you can change your financial future.
Educate yourself about money. There is a plethora of information out there on handling your finances. Genistar has many seminars with tips about handling your money wisely. Download the free e-book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom, to get started.
Forgive yourself for money mistakes made in the past. No one can change the past, but every day is a clean slate for us to make a new start.
Don’t compare yourself to others. We all have different situations and circumstances, and you are only responsible for doing your best.
Start with small steps. Small steps taken consistently can make a big difference in your finances.
Set some financial goals.
Pay attention to your finances – Set aside time monthly or weekly to review your situation.
Celebrate your successes. When you reach one of your financial goals, be proud of yourself and the progress you’ve made.
And finally, talk to a professional. You don’t have to do it alone. At Genistar we believe that every person can understand the basics of money management if they receive the proper education. We offer a complimentary, personalised Financial Game Plan which is like a ‘sat nav’ for your finances. Based on your own goals and life objectives, it can show you how to get from where you are to where you want to be financially.
Book Recommendations
Would you like to read more about becoming a positive thinker? See the below list for a few books we recommend for helping you make positive thinking a habit:
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
And for your free e-book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom, click here
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