Positive Thinking - Is It Always A Good Thing?

Our lives seem to be full of contradictions!  On the one hand we're bombarded by news that is often negative and full of doom and gloom, while on the other we're encouraged to be positive, smile and avoid negative thoughts for the sake of our health.

So what's the answer?!

Well, first of all let's look at why positive thinking can bring great benefits.  The cycle goes like this:

The thoughts that we think create the perspective from which we look at things.  This influences the filters through which we interpret the world around us.  This determines our experiences, which help to form our beliefs about that world.  Our beliefs are what our thoughts are based upon, and so the cycle continues...

Obviously if we think positive thoughts, and can carry this on round the cycle, then we will be happier than if we are plagued by negative thoughts, however it's not quite that simple for most of us.

When we're surrounded every day by news of terrorist attacks, rising incidence of serious health conditions, fears around the financial climate, Trump's presidency, or Brexit, or the recent fire in the tower block in London... it can be a real challenge to think positive thoughts, let alone to believe them.

In fact it can lead to cognitive dissonance:

"the mental stress or discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values."  Wikipedia

The results can be anxiety, overwhelm and chronic ill health.  In fact many of the dis-eases that we experience in our society are due, at least in part, to stress.

In next week's post I'll look at another approach which might serve us better.

If you'd like to talk about anything that I've raised here, please get in touch:

            email:              robyn@equenergy.com

            mobile:           07980 669303

You can also see more on my website: www.equenergy.com

(You can read the full article here.)