How positive thinking improves life
A Life / / December 19, 2019
Can positive thoughts affect us something more than just a smile on your face? Yes. This convinced Barbara Fredrickson (Barbara Fredrickson) - winner of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Stanford University. Fredrickson is one of the leading scientists who study social psychology. Her works are widely used and have been awarded honorary awards. Over 20 years of scientific activity, Barbara held a series of studies aimed at studying the effect of emotion on a person's life in perspective. What conclusions did she come from? Let's find out.
As negative thoughts affect the brain
Let's imagine that you are walking through the forest and suddenly you meet on the way a wolf. In this situation, your brain registers the negative emotion - fear.
Scientists have long known that negative emotions is programmed Smart to perform certain actions. For example, when crossed with a wolf you start running away from him. Rest of the world ceases to exist. You focus exclusively on the beast, fear and desire to quickly get away.
In other words, negative emotions narrow thinking and limiting thoughts. Looking objectively at the situation, you could try to climb a tree or a stick to protect themselves, but the brain ignores the available options. For gyri no choice when you are looking predator eyes.
Of course, millions of years ago our ancestors laid in the survival instinct helped them to survive and procreate. But in our modern society, there is no need to worry about the unexpected encounter with dangerous wildlife. The problem is that your brain is still programmed to react to negative emotions as well - by disconnecting from the outside world and rejection of alternative courses of action.
Why composure and ability to control their emotions - this is almost the most important qualities of a good boxer? Because anger and emotion in combat narrow mental abilities and do not give express tactical thinking. Look at the list of upcoming cases on the day, will find it is not very realistic and can not proceed with the execution? Yes, you are bound paralysis caused by the contemplation of the horror of a long list of tasks. You feel lousy because of the fact that do not care about your health? Now all your thoughts are reduced to what you weaklings, idlers and loafers.
In each situation, a similar brain locked from the outside world and focuses on negative emotions: fear, anger or stress. Negative emotions do not allow your head to look around for alternatives and opportunities that surround you. It's just a survival instinct.
As positive thoughts affect the brain
Fredrickson has studied the impact of positive thinking on the brain during a small experiment. It divided the subjects of people into groups of five and each company showed various videos.
The first two groups were shown clips that cause positive emotions. Group 1 was saturated with a sense of joy. The second looked FIVE shots, creating a feeling of pleasure.
The third company was looking at the image, which, by their emotional intensity were neutral or did not contain significant emotions.
The last two groups "enjoyed" video series, generating negative emotions. Fourth FIVE absorbed a sense of fear, and the final - a feeling of anger.
After that, each participant was offered to present themselves in a situation where such feelings might arise, and to write down what they would take. Each subject was given a sheet of paper with 20 blank lines that begin with the phrase "I'd like to ...".
Participants who watched clips of fear and anger, wrote the fewest responses. A subjects who enjoyed the images of joy and fun filled much larger number of rows, even in comparison with blank control group.
Thus, when you experience positive emotions such as joy, pleasure, love, you pay attention to the increasing number of opportunities in your life. These findings were among the first to actually prove that positive impression increased sense of their own strength and opens up new possibilities of thinking.
But this is only the beginning. The most interesting is the effect of positive thinking comes later ...
How to develop positive thinking skills
The benefits of positive emotions is not limited to a few minutes of pleasant sensations. Positive experiences help acquire skills and develop resources to use in later life.
Consider a real-life example.
A child who ran through the streets, jumping over puddles, waving branch and playing with friends, develop athletic abilities (Physical skills), communication (social skills) and the ability to discover new things and explore the world around him (creative skills). Thus, the positive emotions of the game and bring joy to the child skills that will be useful throughout his life.
Acquired skills are living much longer than emotions, they initiated. Over the years, laid a strong physical form can grow a real sportsman, and communication skills - to show the world a competent manager. Happiness, which gave skills base, has long since passed and forgotten, but not lost the ability to do.
Fredrickson calls this feature of the theory of expansion of borders and development. Because positive emotions increase the sense of their own power and give rise to the thought that, in turn, develop new skills that will be useful in other areas of life.
As previously stated, negative emotions produce the opposite effect. They hinder the construction of new skills in view of the existence of a threat or danger.
In conclusion, the foregoing begs the logical question: if positive emotions are so helpful for our future, how to be positive?
How to feel the positive thinking
So how do you increase the amount of positive emotion in your life and apply themselves to action in extending the theory and development?
Be sure to do the trick, any spark of joy, satisfaction and love. But only you know exactly what will work for you. Maybe it will play the guitar, walk with someone or cutting wood for your favorite flower garden gnome.
Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to some classes, suitable for many earthlings.
Meditation. A recent study by Fredrickson showed that daily meditators people experience more positive emotions than those who do not practice meditation. As expected, the meditation exercise is beneficial to the long-term skills. For example, three months after the end of the experiment daily meditators people had increased attention and purpose, and their health improved.
Letter. The study, published in the journal Journal of Research in Personality, two groups of students in 45 people considered. The first group for three days wrote about the strong positive feelings. The other - the usual theme.
Three months later, the members of the first team, it was noted a better mood, they are rarely sick and asked for help to doctors. Only three days of writing about positive things influenced the improvement of health.
The game. Shove playing sports in their life schedule. You are planning a meeting, talks, events and a variety of duties, recording them in the calendar, but for some reason can not find the time to amateur sport?
When was the last time you indulged experiment and discover new things for themselves? When was the last time you planned entertainment? Is happiness is less important than planorka on Tuesdays?
Allow ourselves to smile and enjoy the benefits of positive emotions. Plan a mini football with friends or a little adventure with your partner. Thus you will experience the satisfaction and joy, as well as study and will develop new skills for themselves.
What comes first: happiness or success?
There is no doubt that happiness is manifested as a result of success. For example, to win the championship, the transition to the new high-paying job, meeting a loved one necessarily bring into your life the joy and satisfaction. But do not be fooled into thinking that happiness is always precedes success. Have you ever visited the idea: "As soon as I get (I shall achieve) something immediately will be on cloud nine"? In fact, there is no need to postpone their happiness before a specific event. Be happy here and now.
Happiness - and the success of the predecessor and the result!
The life of happy people is similar to the movement of an upward spiral. They rejoice in everything that surrounds them. Thus, they develop themselves and their skills to help you achieve success, and the success of a person fills an even greater joy. So turn after turn.
What will we do
Positive thinking - is not just soft and fluffy term wellness. Yes, in itself great just to be happy. But the moments of joy are also important for your mind, helping him to push the boundaries and develop skills that will be valuable in other areas of your life.
It is necessary to look for ways to build their happiness and the bringing to life of positive emotions. Meditation, writing, playing and anything - it is not just the momentary stress reduction and a few smiles. Engage in interesting things, chasing the ball, throw in experiments. Your brain will do the rest for you.