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cholesterol.
2 Stronger will to live. As we age, many of us tend to lapse into a depressive
state. We often reflect on our lives and decide we have done nothing to
merit worth, and it is then we begin to die. With positive thinking, we can
realize that it is never too late to do something with ourselves and our
lives; that all is not lost.
3 Preservation of independence. You may notice that some older people
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seem far younger and more able than others their age. The major
difference between a 70-year-old who lives at home, stays busy, and
maintains an active family life; and a 70-year-old who is inactive and
consigned to a wheelchair in a nursing home; is attitude. The senior at
home believes it is possible to live a healthy, happy life no matter how old
they get, while the senior in the home believes there is nothing to look
forward to.
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THE PHYSICAL POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING
Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see
through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is
clouded.
- Goethe
You know that positive thinking improves your mental health. But did you know It
can also improve your physical health? The power of your thoughts is so strong, it
can actually affect the way your body behaves and improve a host of physical
ailments- or even bring you from the brink of death.
Take Christopher Reeve. The actor who will be forever remembered for his powerful
performance as Superman will also be remembered for his remarkable recovery after
a horse-riding accident left him completely paralyzed. Yet not only did Reeve live far
longer than any doctor predicted, he made great strides toward recovery and was
able to move parts of his body that were pronounced forever lost to him before his
death in 2004. Reeve survived for nine years after the accident and proved he truly
was a super man.
How did he do it? Positive thinking. According to researchers who analyzed his case,
Reeve s optimistic attitude and can-do mindset were almost entirely responsible for
the unparalleled level of recovery he experienced.
When you banish negative thoughts from your mind, your physical health responds
tremendously. It has long been known that there is a correlation between emotional
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and physical health; often referred to as the mind-body connection. Improving
your outlook and practicing positive thinking strengthens your mind-body
connection and makes you healthy, even to the point of extending your life.
Studies have shown that depression and negative thought decreases antibodies and
leaves you more open to infection and disease. Those who are unhappy or stressed
exhibit weaker immune responses to vaccines; take longer to heal; are more
susceptible to colds and viruses; and experience stronger symptoms.
There is documented scientific evidence that electrical activity in the brain related to
emotion has a direct effect on the body s ability to heal and fights off disease.
Negative thoughts produce a surge of activity in the right prefrontal cortex, which
brings about a weak immune response; while positive thoughts produce activity in
the left prefrontal cortex and strengthens immune response. It is true: happy people
are healthier, simply because they are happy!
A positive thought program may also possess the ability to protect you from
Alzheimer s or other degenerative aging diseases. Because part of the process of
positive thinking involves a continual quest for self-improvement and encourages
you to stay mentally active, your mind will be in better shape as you age and you will
be less susceptible to degenerative disease such as Alzheimer s, osteoporosis and
rheumatoid arthritis. A sharp mind helps to maintain a sharp body.
Don t underestimate the power of positive thinking in regards to your own health.
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You can think yourself healthy; and you will find that you have more energy, fewer
colds, and an increased vitality. Perhaps some day, science will discover a way to
inject happiness as a means to combat disease. Until then, we will have to be
responsible for creating our own happiness.
Sit Back and Relax
It is time to break through the barriers that have held you back and
held you down for such a long time. It is time to reach out and indelibly
etch your place in history.
- Greg Hickman
Are you ready for a new life?
Positive thinking arms you with all the tools you need to achieve your deepest hopes,
wishes and desires. You will be equipped to deal with any of the circumstances life
presents you with, and receptive to the boundless possibilities that come with true
happiness. Once you have planted and tended your mental garden, you can sit back
and enjoy the harvest of success.
When you reach fruition of your positive thinking goals, it is important to relax and
enjoy your accomplishments. You will not be motivated to move further in your life if
you do not take the time to experience the benefits of all your hard work. Many
people don t know how to relax, and simply continue to push themselves believing
that eventually, relaxation and reward will come to them. This is not the case: you
must take the time for yourself to reap what you have sown in your mental garden.
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Following are several suggestions to help you take in the true measure of your
successes and use them to further even more positive gain:
1 Take a me day. When you have reached a major goal, take an entire
day for yourself. You ve earned it. Engage in your favorite activities: read
a good book, watch a movie, dine at your favorite restaurant. Pamper
yourself: take a long bath, buy yourself a decadent dessert, get a
professional massage. Refuse to do favors for anyone else on this day. Tell
others that you are celebrating your success and indulge in good feelings.
You will feel wonderful, and you will cement your achievements in your
mind. Awareness of your progress is integral to your continued success.
2 Spread the joy. Do you know someone with similar goals and
ambitions? Take the time to share your accomplishments with anyone
you feel will benefit from them. Tell them how you achieved your goals
and share the secrets of your success. Changing your own life produces a
powerful feeling, and when you use your own transformation to help
others change as well, your own benefits are amplified. Happiness and
success cannot be contained and kept for ourselves. Facilitate the spread
of joy whenever possible, and you will find your efforts circling back to
you again and again.
3 Count your blessings. The more you accomplish, the more you stand
to accomplish. Reflecting on the full realization of the completion of your
goals will help you solidify your positive mindset. There may be benefits
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to your achievements that you have yet to realize. What have you gained
by reaching your goals? Create a mental catalogue of all the ways your life
is enriched by positive thinking and refer to it often. This practice adds to
your arsenal of empowerment tools and exponentially increases your
capacity to gain.
4 Preserve the lesson. Just as you kept a journal of your progress
toward the completion of your goals, you should keep a written record of
your successes. The ability to reflect on change and the steps that led to it
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