Negative Thinking vs. Positive Thinking free essay sample

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. † –Buddha. Owning my own business has led me to read many books over many different topics, including books geared toward motivating the reader to succeed and teaching the reader how to motivate others. According to almost every motivational book I have read, motivation starts with positive thinking. I believe that my cup is half-full, I keep an open mind about most things, and I believe that out of every bad situation something good comes of it. I guess you could say that I am an optimist. Pessimists on the other hand believe that their glass is half-empty and automatically expect the worst outcome when situations arise. We will write a custom essay sample on Negative Thinking vs. Positive Thinking or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Your attitude towards life can greatly affect the reality you create for yourself, whether you are an optimist or pessimist. (Videnieks) Countless thoughts run through our minds each day. Research says that 80% of them are negative, and that we remember the negative thoughts because it is hardwired into our DNA to do so. † (Goldsmith). It is not difficult to figure out that negative thoughts bring an over-all negativity to our lives. I guess you could view negativity as having a snowball effect considering one negative thought typically leads to another negative thought, and so on. Negative thinking can produce negative consequences when it comes to not only our mental health but our physical health as well. Negative thinking causes a decreased flow of endorphins within the brain, a lack of self-confidence, a poor self-esteem, poor judgment, increased levels of distress, higher levels of depression, poor back posture, and an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. These are just a few of the proven consequences of negative thinking. Often factors that affect a person’s mental health produce negative affects to their physical health as well. Though difficult at times, positive thinking can produce very beneficial results both mentally and physically. Being a positive thinker does not mean bad things never happen. Having the ability to think positively about bad situations can greatly influence the ending result; which include minimizing the negative physical effects stresses can have on our bodies. Thinking positively can help a person cope better during times of stress, resulting in a reduction of the amount of stress that can have negative effects on mental, as well as physical health. Videnieks) Mental stress very often leads to physical stress on a person’s body, which can ultimately lead to health problems. Individuals who choose to have a positive attitude and think positive have a better overall well-being. (Videnieks) Positive thinking can lead to an increased life span, lower stress levels, a lower rate of depression, increased resistance to the common cold, a decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and better stress coping skills during times of stress. Videnieks) It is obvious that there are many proven benefits of being a positive thinker. â€Å"Self-Talk† has been discussed in almost every book I have ever read on the subject of motivation. Self-Talk are those constant thoughts that run through our heads on a daily basis. (Videnieks) Those thoughts can be negative or positive, and we all have the ability to control weather those thoughts will be negative or positive. (Videnieks) Positive or negative thoughts can have an effect on our mental and physical health. Videnieks) If a person were to weigh the benefits of positive thinking versus negative thinking I believe that they would come to the conclusion that positive thinking is much healthier for the body and the brain. Knowing the potential impact it can have on your health, what would convince a person to continue their practice of negativity? The only reason that I can come up with is that they either enjoy being negative or they have the ability to convince themselves that becoming an optimist is an impossibility. I believe that an individual’s happiness is intertwined with their outlook on life. Attitude goes hand-in-hand with determining whether they are a positive or negative person. I also believe that every person consciously or unconsciously makes the decision to be either negative or positive, possibly due to circumstances in their lives. Every person has the power and the ability, despite what their circumstances might be to make the decision to practice negative thinking or to become a positive healthy thinker. We must ll look deeply within ourselves and ask ourselves if we want to see our glass as half empty or half full. Being positive is not always the easiest road to travel but taking the easy road is rarely the best choice. Long-term health and happiness doesn’t just fall into the laps of the negative and unhappy. Like anything else, it takes effort to refrain from being a Negative Nelly all the time.