Positive Thinking Reduces Stress Levels

If you start thinking positively, you may have a better chance to reduce stress levels. We know the world is full of optimists and pessimists. One person sees a glass half full, while another sees the glass half empty. Others see a piece of charcoal…others see diamonds!

Positive Thinking Reduces Stress Levels

Reduce Stress Levels with Positive Thinking

It’s a scientifically proven fact that those who see the world in a “glass half full” kind of way, live longer and experience less stress, as emotionally they are able to reduce stress levels through their positive outlook.

Doctors claim that a big majority of patient visits are for chronic stress-related health problems, so it makes sense that if you see the world with a better mindset, you’d have fewer physical and mental problems.

Researchers at Concordia University conducted a study about pessimists and optimists, and they discovered a direct link between the person’s outlook on life and their stress hormone levels. An optimist’s levels are steady, while a pessimist’s soars out of control and become unmanageable.

Are You An Optimist or Pessimist?

Glass Half Full - Reduce Stress Levels and Think Positively

  • The Optimist

An optimist is someone who looks at the positiveness of a situation. They don’t have a doom and gloom attitude even when something goes wrong. That doesn’t mean they ignore times of distress though! I am an optimist, however I still have anxiety in some situations. However, instead of throwing their/our hands up in the air and giving up (and giving in) to an awful situation, they look at something positive and focus on that.

  • The Pessimist

A pessimist on the other hand, can’t see a positive outcome resulting from a stressful situation at all. They usually worst case scenario every event – and if they don’t, it’s still a situation where nothing good can come of it.

Pessimists usually can’t understand it, but their outlook is what brings all of that negativity to fruition for them. For example, they may go to work saying they’ll never get a promotion at work.

Their lackluster attitude affects the workplace. The boss doesn’t see a go getter – he sees a miserable employee, so he does choose someone else for the promotion because he wants a leader – someone who can inspire others, not someone who brings everyone else down too.

If an optimist gets passed over for the job, they adopt a mindset that has them analyzing what went wrong so that they can repair it and get ahead in the near future.

Cortisol – The Stress Hormone

It’s not that they don’t want to, but a pessimist can’t manage his cortisol – stress hormone levels – once they’re disrupted. Not only does the hormone present at a much higher level, but once it’s released, the pessimist has a hard time in reducing stress levels. Cortisol affects our body in many different ways as seen in this image below.

Cortisol Stress Hormones

What happens to the pessimist when his or her stress levels get out of control on a consistent basis?

  • Their Heart Health Suffers

A pessimist suffers from heart disease more than an optimist does. In the Psychological Bulletin, they published a scientific review about a study where researchers discovered that optimism actually protects you from heart disease to some degree.

  • Their Cholesterol Is Out of Control

The Harvard School of Public Health found in their scientific study that optimists have a better HDL score – that’s the good cholesterol your body needs for optimal health. So pessimists have to work harder to get their good cholesterol levels up. (LDL cholesterol is the bad one, and we all need the good cholesterol to survive!)

  • They Can’t See Anything Positive In Stressful Situations

Pessimists can’t see anything positive in any situation. There is always negative emotions attached. An optimist can, and they learn from bad events and prevent them in the future.

  • Their Immune System Suffers

A pessimist has his or her immune system knocked out of whack. An optimist has a strong, formidable immune system. Researchers have discovered that an optimist’s immune cells cluster and fight off infection better than a pessimist’s does.

  • They Are More Emotionally Unstable

Pessimists can’t handle the stress they experience, so they’re continually upset and depressed about their circumstances. It’s especially prevalent after traumatic events – they just can’t recover. Even small stressful situations don’t leave them as quickly as larger ones.

  • They May Die Sooner

Not only is their whole life filled with one disappointment after another, but in the end, they don’t survive as long as their positive-minded peers. That’s probably because the horrible effects that stress has on their health are not having an impact on their optimistic friends.

Can You Change To Reduce Stress Levels?

You choose how you look at life’s ups and downs, and sometimes you have to learn new ways of handling difficult situations if you’re not equipped to do that. This isn’t going to happen overnight. If you’ve labeled yourself as a pessimist – or if others are constantly telling you that you’re negative, then you can complete an attitude readjustment and change.

  • It’s time for you to understand that you don’t “have bad luck” like many pessimists believe. You have control of your life and the outcome. Some things you can’t control – like being late to work because of a traffic jam.
  • If you’re currently a pessimist, try surrounding yourself with positive people. Don’t bring them down with you – let their mindsets have an influence on you to lift you up to a better place.
  • It’s not just about people you allow to have an effect on you – it’s everything. From television news, movies and shows to music that you listen to – even books that you read – try to keep it upbeat, or at least keep the negative stuff to a minimum.
  • If you realize that certain things put you in a better mood, do more of it! It might be a certain scent filling the air in a room, or a specific CD that sets the tone for a better you.
  • Change your mindset whenever you catch yourself getting down in the dumps. You might have to keep a record of it at first, recording your moods throughout the day and seeing what triggers you to have a pessimistic response.
  • Over time, you’ll also see a pattern of positive triggers. For example, maybe watching the news after work sets you off, but playing a game with your kids lifts your mood. You can spend more time playing and less time informing yourself of what’s wrong in the world.

Some pessimists make fun of the optimists by saying they’re not being realistic. Well neither are you, if you want the honest truth. Instead of being in your head imagining what all is wrong and how bad it is, seek out conversations with real people who have a better outlook on life.

  • Train yourself to be a glass half full type of person. Whenever you encounter a negative situation that stresses you out, stop, take a deep breath, and consider how it can turn into a positive – or at least how it’s not as bad as you’re initially thinking it is.

If you start to see a real change in your attitude, pat yourself on the back for your efforts. It’s not easy making the switch – and most people (pessimists especially), never make the effort.

The fact that you even attempted it means you’re not nearly as pessimistic as you might think you are – because you believe the in the possibility that you can change – and you will.

Use Positive Affirmations

Use positive affirmations as a good starting point. These are positive phrases and sentences that get ingrained in your head. Here is a list of positive affirmations that you can post where you’ll see them:

  • I believe in myself.
  • I am capable of handling difficult situations.
  • Life is full of endless opportunities.
  • I am at peace with how my life is going.
  • I am thankful for what I have in life.

They may sound very simplistic, but they’re no more simple than a negative sentence such as, “Everything goes wrong all the time,” which is how a pessimist thinks on a regular basis.

  • Introduce laughter into your life. Different things make different people life. Whatever works for you, do more of it! It might be going to comedy clubs or watching comedies on TV. Maybe you like to have friends over and play games – laughter is an incredible stress reliever and makes you feel more positive about life.
  • Practice smiling. Many people think that smiles are a result of good things happening to you, right? Well the reverse is true too. You can promote positivity in your life by turning that frown upside down!

This is such an incredible finding that researchers at the University of Cardiff in Wales discovered that when a person’s ability to frown is impeded (using Botox in this case), the participant in the study felt happier! You might not want to go the Botox route, but you can actively practice smiling more throughout the day. Not only will your smiles make you happier, but they’ll make others happier, too. 😀

Take small steps each day to set yourself on a course that has you increasing your happiness each day. Soon, your pessimism will be a thing of the past and you won’t ever feel like returning to that way of thinking again.

Use a variety of tools if one doesn’t work for you. If comedy and positive affirmations don’t help, then try counseling, books, and other methods to help you break free of the negative mindset forever and finally reduce your stress levels.

Always-see-the-glass-half-full

Affiliate Disclosure

My website contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase any products mentioned in my articles, I may receive a commission. If you do, thank you!

About Jennifer Johnson

I suffered with social anxiety and stress for years. I discovered what my triggers were and learned to control them. Hopefully some of the natural anxiety relief techniques I have tried, will also be your solution.

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