Keeping it Simple (KISBYTO): Positive Thinking

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By Terry Orr

Maintaining a positive thinking can be challenging for the best of us – each morning when I wake up, I am very thankful for another day and looking forward to what it brings.

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This would have been very handy forty-five years ago – Dawn Delvecchio at finerminds writes ‘Positive Thinking for Kids – 3 Great Tips for Teaching’:

1. Speak in Affirmatives

What’s the difference between “I don’t want to go to school” and “I want to stay home today”? Well, you might argue not a lot, and that what we’re talking about here is nothing less than wanting to ‘play hookie’ – whichever way you slice it. And you’d be right, practically speaking. But when it comes to positive thinking, the two statements are worlds apart. Here are a few other examples worth considering …

“I hate it when my homework takes too long,” or “I love it when I finish my homework with more time for fun!”

I don’t want to go out in the cold,” or “I’d like to stay inside and be warm.”

“I don’t like to play with Roger, he’s a jerk!” or “My favorite people to play with are Sam and Eddy and Jenny.”

2. Look on the Bright Side

S**t happens to all of us, but how you look at it – especially in front of kids – can make all the difference in the world. Here’s a great example – Kids spill things. Sometimes what they spill makes a heck of a mess. You’ve got a choice about how to look at it, no matter how much time it’s going to take to clean it up. You could either a). get pissed off, make a scene, shame the kid and then clean it up; b). fume a little bit, bite your tongue and clean it up; or c). think: “it could be worse, it could be a bottle of fish sauce!” Then smile and begin the clean-up.

3. Teach ‘em how to Rampage

Instead of letting kids go off on a rampage of anger or a crying fit; when they’re feeling calm and happy, teach them the appreciation game. You can use crayons, markers, pencils, words, stories or animated miming. Just pick a topic and go off on a rampage, thinking of every single thing you appreciate about that person, place, thing or experience. Make it fun and the kid will learn it for life!

What do you think? Worthwhile finding out in your family? Please let us know.

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The health benefits of positive thinking

According to Mayo Clinic, researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

Increased life span;
Lower rates of depression;
Lower levels of distress;
Greater resistance to the common cold;
Better psychological and physical well-being;
Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease; and
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress.

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits.

There always seems to be someone out there who likes nothing more than to mess up our day – to wipe that smile off out face – but take it in stride, smile and do the best you can in that situation. Or like Jon Bon Jovi says in his song “...Have a nice day.”

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10 Tips to overcome negative thoughts: positive thinking made easy according to tiny Buddha:

Meditate or do yoga
Smile
Surround yourself with positive people
Change the tone of your thoughts from a negative to a positive
Don’t play the victim. You create your life – take responsibility
Help someone
Remember that no one is perfect and let yourself move forward
Sing
List five things that you are grateful right now
Read positive quotes.

One that is missing above is exercising – a lot of folks that I talk with and from books, articles and interviews – exercising helps reduce the stress and puts them into a positive frame of mind.

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Here are several tips on how to think positively from Success Consciousness:

Display a more positive emotional and mental attitude toward yourself, other people and situations.
Refuse to participate in negative inner dialogues. It's just a waste of time and energy.
Don't allow disappointments, difficulties and obstacles affect your moods and state of mind.
Refuse and reject negative thinking. Either replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts, or engage yourself in some activity that will divert your attention from the negative thoughts.
Don't allow what people think and say affect your mind and mood.
Associate with people who bring something of value into your life. Avoid people who sap your energy and enthusiasm. If you can't avoid them, learn how stay detached when you are in their company.
Say positive things about yourself and about other people.
Compliment people when you feel they deserve it.
Have faith in yourself and in your abilities.
Try doing new things or old things in a new way. Doing things differently will help you be more creative and therefore more positive. Go to a different restaurant, eat different food, change the way you dress, start reading a new book or find a new hobby.
Read about people who overcame hardships and succeeded in life. This will help you think more positively.
Set goals no matter how impossible this might seem at the moment and keep yourself busy working on them.
Each goal accomplished, no matter how small it might be, will bring you more confidence, self-esteem and positive thinking.
At least once a day, think and try to come up with more ideas on how to think positively in various situations.
Be careful what mental images you let in into your mind. How you see yourself and your surroundings make a difference to your thinking. It is like watching a video. Eject the old video cassette or CD and insert a new and better one instead.
Analyze your behavior and attitude, and ask yourself why you are repeating the habits or attitudes that you dislike. There is no need to follow old patterns of behavior that you don't like or don't make you any good.
When you learn how to think positively, you gain the key to changing and improving your life.