Navigating through life's treacherous waters is daunting and sometimes even dangerous. The drain of difficult relationships and the disappointment of dreams unrealized can take their toll, and negativity can be the result.
Negativity is a killer though. It can kill our spirit and ultimately contribute to killing our body. The good news is that we can control our attitude despite our circumstances.
Even though wallowing in the self-pity that often accompanies negativity can ironically feel good in the short term, a negative attitude is destructive on many levels. It impacts how others feel about us, how we feel about ourselves, and how we feel physically.
Research shows that people with heart disease, America’s number one killer, are 40 percent less likely to laugh in various situations than those of the same age without heart disease.
Though researchers don’t know how a positive attitude contributes to a healthier heart, they do know that mental stress and negativity impacts the protective barrier that lines the blood vessels. So to exercise, not smoking and a low fat diet, it’s crucial to your health to add regular doses of hearty laughter.
Living in the past or even spending too much time planning for the future can prevent you from appreciating the moment. Begin a gratitude journal. Date each entry and list all that was good in your day. Forcing yourself to find value in the small things--nature, silence, a delicious meal--will help you to cherish that which is most important—your relationships, abilities and contributions to others.
Read Living Agelessly: Creating a Lifestyle for Mid-Life and Beyond for more ideas for creating joy in your life, and read Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice: A Revolutionary Program to Counter Negative Thoughts by Robert W. Firestone, Lisa Firestone and Joyce Catlett (New Harbinger Pub.), an excellent book for “overcoming negative thoughts and working through self-imposed limitations that impact intimacy, career and quality of life”.
The happiest people are those who continue to discover and share their special gifts, who seek to learn new things, and who reach out to help others rather than focus on themselves. Join an outreach program and give service to those in need. Sometimes seeing that others have a more difficult life challenge helps us to be grateful about our own situation.
Being positive is a choice. Even if you don’t feel upbeat, behave as if you do. Your mind and body will respond. Others will be drawn to your warmth and friendliness. You’ll begin to feel valued and loved, and you’ll want to treat others the same way. It becomes the loveliest of cycles.
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