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The power of positive thinking gets a lot of attention these days, and I'd like to take a look at it this month. After all, it's easier to be more positive with the longer days and warmer weather at this time of year! However, some balance is necessary. When we go through difficult times, it's a mistake to deny our feelings or problems; we won't solve them by putting on a smile and ignoring them.
As a side note, for those who are less than happy, do not despair. A study was published in the Lancet recently which found that happiness had no effect on mortality. Women in the study who reported being happier, did not live longer. While ill health can result in unhappiness (and was controlled for in the analysis), the reverse was not seen in this large study.
However, there is evidence that by changing our thoughts and beliefs, we can change ourselves. For example, Joe Dispenza advocates changing your mind to change yourself, and provides convincing evidence that this really works. Read on below...
These newsletters will help you make better choices for better health. The choices that you make today can either have a positive or negative impact on your overall health. Begin by choosing better. It is a step toward longevity.
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The Power of Positive Thinking
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Ramila Padiachy
Doctorate of Natural Medicine (DNM)®
Ramilas Healing Arts Clinic
1437 Woodroffe Avenue
Ottawa ON (map)
613.829.0427
info@ramilas.com
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The Power of Positive Thinking
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Positive thinking does not mean ignoring anything negative, but rather approaching negative situations with the expectation of a positive outcome. This can be as simple as a valuable lesson learned from the negative experience, or emerging as a stronger person better able to cope with adversity.
It's not as simple as just thinking positive thoughts - we need to act in positive ways, too. Studies have shown, for example, that smiling actually produces physical changes in the body so you actually feel happy, even if you didn't to begin with.
Also, positive affirmations must be believable to you. Anything that you don't believe will not have the desired effect - it will just make you feel worse.
Benefits of a positive mindset
When you experience positive emotions, you see more possibilities in your life. You have challenges for which you are able to find solutions, not insurmountable problems with no solution in sight. You develop an enhanced ability to build skills and develop resources for later use.
Happy for No Reason by Marci Shimoff is an excellent book. To learn how to be truly happy, she interviewed 100 truly happy people from all walks of life, many of whom had come through very difficult situations - they weren't handed happiness on a silver platter! She outlines 21 habits that happy people share:
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Focus on solutions.
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Look for the lesson and the gift.
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Make peace with yourself.
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Question your thoughts. Don't believe everything you think.
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Go beyond the mind and let go. Free yourself from your negative thoughts and feelings.
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Incline your mind toward joy.
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Focus on gratitude.
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Practice forgiveness.
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Spread 'loving kindness'.
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Nourish your body.
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Energize your body.
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Tune in to your body's wisdom.
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Invite connection with your higher power.
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Listen to your inner voice.
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Trust life's unfolding.
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Find your passion.
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Follow the inspiration of the moment.
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Contribute to something greater than yourself.
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Tend to your relationships.
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Surround yourself with support.
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See the world as your family.
This list barely scratches the surface of this book. I highly recommend it.
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How to Become a More Positive Person
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Here are a few tips to help you be more positive:
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Identify negative thinking so you can stop the negative spiral. Look for:
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Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects and filter out the positive aspects of a situation.
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Personalizing. When something bad happens, you automatically blame yourself. Don't take anything personally!
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Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. One small thing goes wrong, and you assume the whole day will be a disaster.
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Polarizing. You see things only as good or bad, you're either perfect or a total failure; there is no middle ground.
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Start a gratitude journal. Gratitude is very healthy! Every day, preferably in the evening, write down 5 things for which you are grateful for that day. Just thinking about gratitude is less effective than writing. If you write in your gratitude journal every day for 21 days, it will become a habit that will be easy to maintain. It will change your thought patterns; you'll notice many more things to be grateful for.
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Do something for someone else. This takes your mind off your problems, and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
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Give back. According to your ability and your interests, support charitable causes.
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Do something nice for yourself. Treat yourself well every day; you deserve it. Schedule play time.
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Meditate. Meditation calms the mind, and helps you maintain a more positive outlook. This can be done in as little as 10 minutes a day; it doesn't have to take hours.
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Try yoga. Like meditation, yoga is calming and can help you enter a meditative state.
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 Surround yourself with positive people. This may be easier said than done, but try following the 80/20 rule, that is, limit your exposure to negative people to 20% of your time, fill the other 80% with positive people.
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Follow a healthy lifestyle. Everything is easier when you are well rested, eat healthy food, get enough exercise and manage stress well.
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Practice positive self-talk. Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be kind and encouraging to yourself.
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Have a clearly defined purpose in life. If you're focused on, and working toward a goal, you will feel more positive.
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 There are a number of Nature's Sunshine supplements to help you be healthy (and happier). You can find information about these products and purchase them in our online store:
To your positive mindset and happiness!
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For additional information, please email info@ramilas.com or call Ramilas Healing Arts Clinic at 613.829.0427 for an appointment.
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References:
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Liu B, Flood S, Pirie K, Green J, Peto R, Beral V. for the Million Women Study Collaborators. Does happiness itself directly affect mortality? The prospective UK Million Women Study. Lancet 2016; 387:874-881.
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Grady D. Happiness doesn't bring good health, study finds. New York Times, December 9, 2015. nytimes.com/2015/12/10/health/happiness-health-study.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
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Dispenza J. Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House Inc., 2012.
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Clear J. 12 activities that boost positive thinking. jamesclear.com Accessed May 16, 2016.
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Mayo Clinic Staff. Positive thinking: stop negative self-talk to reduce stress. mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950 Accessed May 16, 2016.
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Clear J. The science of positive thinking: how positive thoughts build your skill, boost your health, and improve your work. Huffington Post. huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/positive-thinking_b_3512202.html Accessed May 16, 2016.
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Shimoff M, Kline C. Happy for No Reason. New York: Atria Paperback, 2008.
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Disclaimer: The suggestions and recommendations in this newsletter are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic. The information is accurate and up to date to our knowledge, but we are not responsible for any errors in our sources of information.
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Ramilas art is a timeless combination of traditional spiritual healing and neuroscience based on constant research. I have no doubt that Ramila’s healthcare practices are way ahead of their time and are the future of healthcare.
- Wares
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