We’ve all heard about the power of positive thinking…
But we all live a life that can be trying, tempting, and sometimes tragic. Positive thought is not always your default setting.
Today we’ll review a few anecdotes that might help you look at life, and your positivity “training”, more seriously.
Mental Mind Mapping And Strengthening Yourself.
In his book “Smarter Faster Better”, Charles Duhigg discusses how in a world that’s so very automated, we’re getting worse at managing things.
Automation makes life easier by taking the thinking away from us. When we are then thrust back into control often we get cognitive tunnel vision. This leads to mistakes, and in some cases, grave consequences.
Duhigg discusses mental mind mapping and it’s magical ability. Creating scenarios in your mind of the way things should be. We here at Monolith like to add “positive” spin to that. Hence the Think Massive Mantra.
So many of us tell ourselves negative stories of what might happen. If you are going to tell yourself a story, might as well make it a positive one!
Wasting your time on negativity is how a majority of human beings spend their days. Thinking burns calories, so if you’re going to use precious calories in thought, make sure it’s on positive thinking. Nothing else should suffice!
Positive thinking is like a muscle, the more you practice it, the stronger it gets. Controlling your mind is a skill.
By laying out mental mind maps and preparing yourself for anything, from meetings to workouts, you pre-tax your mind to deal with any unforeseen issues that may arise.
Having a mental map laid out gives you options and flexibility. That only comes with preparation. This combats your default “deer in headlights” reactions.
Positive mental mapping keeps you problem-solving and mentally moving forward.
Short-term Stress Is Good For You.
A team of researchers at The University of Kentucky pulled data from 300 studies spanning the past 30 years.
They found an interesting correlation between stress and health.
Stress, in small doses, can lead to higher adrenaline levels. This boosts your immune system which helps you deal with the situation.
This can have a positive effect on your body.
Prolonged stress, on the other hand, leads to sickness, anxiety, and depression.
We like to compare this to HIIT vs long cardio sessions. HITT forces you to push past boundaries you thought were set in stone. It raises cardiovascular efficiency, fat burning, and muscle response.
Long form cardio tends to eat away at muscle and empty your Netflix cue. …just saying.
The challenge of HIIT also forces you to keep a positive mental outlook. You feel as though you’re not going to make it, so you continue to tell yourself you can. This exercise in exercise forces you into positive thinking mode otherwise you would give up when your perceived limits were hit.
You take less time, get better results. Increasing your oxygen intake, and your endorphin level. All leading to better, and more positive thinking.
Living A Positive Life On Your Terms.
Another interesting piece of the positive thinking puzzle comes in the twilight years.
A section outlined in “Smarter Faster Better”, Duhigg discusses how residents of elderly living facilities that buck the system tend to outlive their neighbors.
It’s been said that a life without purpose is a life not worth living. Through many studies, we know that people that “have something to live for” tend to live longer, fuller lives.
In the book, Duhigg discusses how patients that “build” their own meals by trading with others and find a way to rearrange their rooms, though the furniture is bolted down, tend to stick around longer.
This rebellion reminds them that their lives are theirs, and not yet over, keeping them young and spry. The ones that share that youthful outlook seem to never lose sight of possibility, no matter their circumstances.
It just goes to show that the mental state is one of the most powerful tools you have has a human being. If your positive thinking and positive emotions can power this amazing machine called a body, image what other effects it has on your surroundings and circumstances!
Defeat Your Negative Thinking.
The Think Massive Mantra isn’t just a saying. It’s a way for us and our community, to remind ourselves and each other that there is more. At Monolith we take great pride in our people and our elite athletic gear.
We take great pride in knowing that we not only strive to make exceptional fitness gear but exceptional people.
We all live and love the Think Massive Mantra on a daily basis. It’s a way of calling each other out when we allow negativity in.
We all face hardships. We all feel challenges that seem overwhelming from time to time, but life keeps moving and so should you.
Positive thinking is the first step in moving past, changing direction, or overhauling any situation. Everything starts in the mind.
The Powers Of Positive Thought And Positivity Pointers.
Be grateful. Everyday.
Find at least 3 reasons every day that you can be grateful. It will change your outlook on life. Your mind cannot be sad, angry, jealous, or any other negative emotion if you fill it with gratitude.
Gratitude is a great place to start relieving stress and to plant a seed of positive thinking on a daily basis.
Smile. There is a physical and mental connection when you smile. It makes it more difficult to have negative thoughts.
Help others out of pure love for humanity. If you’re looking for a way to spark that positive thinking muscle, help someone. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, something as small as holding a door can make a difference in someone else’s life. That change can flow to other people they touch, and so on. Your one selfless gesture can plant a whole field of people that switched to positive thinking for the rest of the day.
People feed off emotions, feed them positive ones!
Do whatever it is you do, to the best of your ability. It speaks volumes about you to others, but more importantly, it gives you a feeling of pride. Never let your little voice win. That voice means well and wants to keep you safe and comfortable. The only problem is that life happens on the fringes, not where you feel safe and comfortable. Eventually, you’ll feel comfortable where you are, and then it’s time to push further… all the time using positive thinking to keep the “what if’s” at bay.
Understand that not every day or every minute is meant to be positive. But, bad moments allow you to appreciate the good ones more.
Be kind to yourself. You’re the only you, you have.