What we think about all day really matters to our health and outlook. Positive thoughts may do more for us than we may realize. Consider this: Harvard studies prove that negative thoughts actually cause us to maintain elevated levels of stress hormones, while positive thoughts fill our bodies with the types of chemicals that smooth and regulate our moods. Antidepressants help us maintain elevated levels of serotonin in our blood streams. So do positive thoughts.
Thinking positive and uplifting thoughts, will gives us a different body to walk around in.
The Harvard University study, set up two control groups in order to measure how what we’re thinking affects or bodies and our emotions.
(1) The first control group was asked to watch films of Nazi war crimes.
(2) The second, films of Mother Theresa at work.
After watching the films each group had blood drawn. The group that had been watching Nazi war films had elevated levels of “stress chemicals” such as adrenaline and cortisol.
The group watching the Mother Theresa films had elevated levels of “feel good” chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that made them feel emotionally regulated and calm.
Blood chemicals went back to normal after about twenty minutes. But here is the interesting part. In a second part to the study, subjects were then asked to continue to run the images of the films in their minds throughout the day. Hours later, the results were the same. The group that had been watching Nazi war films had continually high levels of stress chemicals coursing through their blood while the group that had been watching Mother Theresa experienced continued levels of feel good chemicals.
What we think about all day, really does affect how we feel. Thinking positive, affirmative thoughts is actually a proven approach to living a better and more balanced life.
I have written several affirmations books over the years and I am still amazed at how uplifting these books are to write and how many letters I receive from people who have found them a useful way to learn to think differently. I write affirmations in order to turn a problematic issue around, I begin with a problem and then shift thinking so that the issue can be seen in a positive light. I have now put these affirmations on apps so that positive thinking can be hand held and portable. Click here for further info. http://digiglyph.org/publications/recovery/
Try it, spend a few minutes consciously thinking thoughts that make you feel calm, happy and good inside and see what happens to your emotional state. And if you’re not convinced yet that calm is better, try thinking upsetting thoughts or watching something scary or disturbing on TV (easy to find) and see what happens to your emotional state. Affirmations are structured, feel better moments that turn not only your thoughts, but your body chemistry around.Take a health break, think an uplifting thought or read an affirmation.
