The Inspiration Place

Archive for the ‘Positive Thinking’ Category

In recent years, medical doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists have developed tests which have demonstrated that positive thinking can be a powerful influence by promoting health and well being in those who practice it. This backs up the early affirmations of people such as Dr. Norman Vincent Peale who was one of the first proponents of positive thinking more than sixty years ago, and whose teachings, supported by the work of others, are still gaining wide acceptance today.

The tests used have utilized brand new techniques that have determined the effectiveness of positive thoughts on a person’s health. New positive thinking tests which use established physical body sciences, have shown that certain thought patterns are actually more influential in promoting health and well being in humans than others are. The method involves measuring the muscle response of test subjects to oral statements and looking at how positive and negative statements affect the response. This is very useful in helping scientists determine which statements have a more beneficial effect. The test programs are still ongoing.

It is also interesting to note that tests being performed go beyond just simple muscle reactions to various oral statements. Scientists have also come up with a measurement scale that quantifies the actual power of those effects on muscles. This kinesiological testing has produced amazing results in that it plainly shows that certain words and phrases have much more effect than others. As a case in point, the word “anger” had a much more pronounced effect than the word “fear”, while the words “shame” and “guilt” had extremely-low responses. This demonstrates beyond a doubt that positive thinking words and self talk evoke much higher responses than their negative equivalents.

One very-significant implication of this new positive thinking testing is the fact that none of the results came from ‘random’ or ‘accidental’ occurrences. And also that virtually anything retained in mind can produce a measurable effect.

Scientists involved in this leading edge research believe that they have only touched the tip of the iceberg in this new field and also that future studies and positive thinking tests will demonstrate even greater influences of positive thinking on health, happiness and overall well being in those who embrace it. The research began when one psychiatrist proposed his belief that some human thoughts are detrimental to health while others are beneficial. The testing processes that evolved from this practitioner’s original contention promise to go far in demonstrating that positive thinking is actually necessary to good health in human beings.

There are many inspirational quotes about positive thinking ranging from those applicable to everyday situations to business, science, psychology and everything else one might think of. Interestingly enough, a good percentage of these actually pre-date the positive thinking concept as initially promoted by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale some sixty years ago. One website offers quotes for more than 120 topics; others are offered in more ‘targeted’ categories. All are free for the downloading, but many contain related ads for purchasing products and programs. There are offline collections of quotations on positive thinking too in the form of available library books.

Many of the quotes from famous people that pre-date the formal concept serve to point out that positive thing was embraced much earlier, even though undefined as a formal method of improvement. This makes it apparent that highly-successful individuals owe at least a portion of their successes to having and utilizing positive thinking and self talk as an inherent characteristic of their minds. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Oprah Winfrey, Carl Gustav Jung, Mahatma Gandhi, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Benjamin Franklin, to name just a few, have all uttered numerous wise phrases that are heavily quoted well before positive thinking gained popularity amongst the masses.

Is it logical to assume, then, that success only comes to positive thinkers? Or is positive thinking merely an attribute that aids success when applied only to certain situations by people who have less than positive attitudes in general? There are, after all, those circumstances in life that require some degree of negative thinking if for nothing else than a cautionary measure for self protection. Engineers, for example, are taught to design products and systems for ‘worst case scenarios’ to assure reliability and function in less than ideal conditions. Guaranteeing proper operation under the worst possible conditions is both cautionary and wise.

Some of the older quotes from well-known people really point up their use of positive thinking principles even if they were undefined as a concept when spoken. For example, Albert Einstein said in the 1920’s, “You have to learn the rules of the game. And you have to play better than anyone else.” He certainly applied that rule in developing his Theory of Relativity. Winston Churchill, while Prime Minister of England during World War II said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Mahatma Gandhi is often quoted as saying, “A man is but the product of his thoughts, what he thinks, he becomes.” These are very-tangible evidence that positive thinking is indeed an old concept that helped great people to achieve their greatness. Therein lies the great value of positive thinking quotations.

A poor self image and low self esteem are problems that can be crippling both in your personal life and in business. Fortunately, these are problems which are usually eliminated with a successful switch from negative to positive thinking. And you can raise your self esteem even if it’s been a problem for you since childhood days.

In the field of psychology, poor self image and low self esteem are considered problems best dealt with through cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The techniques of CBT are to teach you how to do away with unhealthy thinking and negative behavior patterns that are grounded in how you view yourself and your entire life. CBT teaches you how to become aware of, challenge and finally change negative ideas and beliefs with positive ones. As such, CBT is also a primary element of positive thinking concepts.

There are some valuable steps you can take to begin changing to a better self image and higher self esteem. They are, of course, in line with both cognitive behavior therapy and positive thinking methods as well. They are, briefly:

(1)-Be honest with yourself and identify those situations and issues that are causing you
to have a poor self image and low self esteem.
(2)-Recognize and understand what your beliefs and thoughts are and how they may be
affecting your thoughts about yourself. Think about your self talk. What are you
saying to yourself?
(3)-Identify negative, inaccurate thinking about yourself and be completely honest when
you do. Also think about any physical, emotional and behavioral responses to your
thoughts.
(4)-Don’t just accept innacurate thinking. Challenge it. Realize that there is more than
one way to look at things. Ask yourself if your thoughts make sense and if there is
any logic in them. Be especially aware of any all-or-nothing thinking and things
you only see in a negative way. Do you jump to negative conclusions without any
facts to back them up? Do you mistake feelins for facts when they’re not? Finally,
do you tend o put yourself down automatically without knowing why?
(5)- Here’s the toughie! Start to change the way you see yourself by thinking only good,
positive thoughts. Forgive yourself if necessary.Use only optimistic statements.
Avoid any should or must statements. Focus ONLY on positive ideas and pictures.
Call upsetting thoughts something new. View failures as opportunities for change.
Continually encourage yourself and keep doing it every single day.

These things will take ime and require practice. Stay at it and see just how different your thoughts will become in time. Achieving healthy self esteem isn’t easy after years of being negative.

Positive thinking in the workplace is literally mandatory if successful career building is the goal. The upwardly-mobile business person does more than just show up on time and do a reasonably-good job. He or she must have a mental attitude geared toward excellence in everything done for employer, customer or client and focus on solutions to problems, rather than the problems themselves. They must understand that problems are temporary and that positive results are always possible despite momentary roadblocks.

Positive thinking produces a positive attitude and should be used with the boss, workplace colleagues and virtually everybody involved with the company’s products or services. A positive attitude is especially called for when things don’t go right and that happens in every job on occasion. Whining, complaining and throwing one’s hands up are indications of negative thinking and are unproductive. Instead a positive solutions orientation will be instrumental in overcoming problems.

Men and women just starting out on a career path will always be subject to assignments where they don’t feel secure in their knowledge or experience. The negative thinker responds with ” Oh No! This is way beyond me. I can’t do it.” Conversely, the positive thinker tells himself or herself ” Well, this is a challenge. I don’t really understand it yet, but I will fill in the gaps and move ahead.” They then seek counsel from more experienced colleagues or do the fact-finding research necessary to understand and implement the assignment. It’s all just a matter of attitude!

This is where the all important self-talk comes into the picture. Positive thinking requires that you always use words like “I can”, “I will” and I’m ready” in lieu of giving yourself all the reasons why you can’t. Perhaps equally important, always remember that when you are positive and have that aura about you in business, it is readily apparent to the people you work with and especially to your supervisor. Upward mobility (success) comes much more readily to the employee that is positive than it ever does to the negative thinker.

There is a lot of help available to guide your efforts to become an effective positive thinker. A check on the Internet will produce many successful instructional and motivational programs on the subject that are offered from professionals with long experience in the subject. Some of this information is offered free while others are available in the form of nominally-priced audio programs on CD or via video. There are also many e-books to be found that cover the subject of positive thinking for business success very thoroughly.

The history of positive thinking probably extends back to when human beings started to think. Nevertheless, it is credited to have begun in America as a promotable concept for self improvement during the great depression of the late ’20s and early ’30s. Two initial books got the concept rolling when they hit the market in 1936. One, which was very-highly read, was “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie and the second was Dorothea Brande’s “Wake Up and Live”. At the same time, several public speakers took the subject to new heights in popularity as it was blended with discourses that were basically religious. Even earlier publications that were religious or philosophical, touched on a positive mindset as a plus in human growth and achievement, the most noteworthy being philosopher William James’ “Religion of Healthy Mindedness” published in 1902. There was a huge list of ‘new thought’ preachers that also used the still undefined concept of positive thinking in their lectures and sermons.

Positive thinking emerged from mainly religious dissertations and came into it’s own right as a concept for personal improvement when Orison Marden began publishing Success magazine in 1891. It is still published today. Emile Coue, often referred to as the father of all inspirational thinking, however, is generally credited with bringing positive thinking as a concept to the forfront as a self-help method in the 1920’s when he called the human mind “a sublime instrument that determines a person’s identity.”

Enter Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

The modern concept of positive thinking really owes it’s popularity to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale who promoted it in his publication ‘Guidelines’ and through his many public lectures on the subject more than sixty years ago. Dr. Peale’s famous 1952 book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” is still today one of the primary reference sources for information on the subject. Dr. Peale’s extensive lectures and seminars both in the United States and abroad, was directly responsible for catapulting positive thinking into the mainstream of self-help popularity. Although Dr. Peale passed away some years ago, his Center for Positive Thinking carries on his important work by providing and disseminating excellent programs that teach people about the major contribution that the concept can make in their lives.

The advent of the Internet and computer technology now make positive thinking materials easy to come by for people in every corner of the world. Many new advocates have come into being and most have websites that provide detailed programs of both a general and specific nature that can be downloaded either at no cost or marginal cost. This is significantly aided by scientists who have recently proven that a positive mindset contributes in a very-meaningful way to improved health and longevity.

There is almost an uncountable quantity of stories about positive thinking both in public libraries and on the Internet. Many of these recount the author’s personal experiences and eventual success in going from a negative mindset to a positive outlook using positive thinking training and techniques. These testimonials detail the successes gained in business, personal lives and career pursuits in sports, acting and more. They make for fascinating reading and in some cases, demonstrate the author’s ability to overcome seemingly impossible roadblocks to success.

Despite the fact that these inspirational narratives are individual’s stories, they certainly qualify as positive affirmations from which good lessons about the power of positive thinking can be learned. They are interesting and well worth reading.

In terms of subject matter, the Internet has websites that feature stories of how positive thinking played a meaningful role in personal relationships, parent/child conflicts, life in general, business success, attitude change, compassion, friendship, honesty, death & dying, religion, and more. Story titles include Attitude is Everything; Be a Better Person; Blind Ambition; Challenged; Choice in the Face of Adversity; Destiny; Finish Line; God’s Presence; Breaking My Personal Records (sports); A New Point of View and many, many more.

There are business stories that define the challenges of ‘growing up’ newly-started small businesses on a limited amount of funding and how positive thinking principles helped the principals overcome very difficult challenges to achieve success in both near-term and long-term growth. These are not only inspirational, but demonstrate a workable plan of how to apply positive thinking to overcome adversity in business. One such story ended in a key message from the business founder which stated, “I believe in the power of attraction; that you attract what you expect. I expect to have wonderful customers and wonderful clients and that is what I attract.”

Anybody who is truly interested in learning the steps to and importance of positive thinking will do well to check out some of the many stories, quotes and phrases related to the subject on the Internet. While these stories may well just be stories, they might show you the ideal way to live your life positively. After all, the story of the king and the spider might not be true, but it induced a definite positive feeling inside him to achieve higher goals. Stories on positive thinking have helped millions of people across the world and can help you as well as someone you know who needs some help.

Positive Thinking Magazine is published by the Center for Positive Thinking, the organization founded by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale more than sixty years ago. Based in Pawling, New York, the magazine carries on the Center’s and Dr. Peale’s work to promote the concept of positive thinking as a major step toward personal happiness, success, health and peace of mind that adds up to an optimum quality of life.

The editorial thrust of Positive Thinking Magazine is to provide articles in every issue that describe the vital role positive thinking plays in our attitudes. Articles cover every major area of life including family, work, friendships, community, health and spirit in terms of how positive thinking influences mindsets and personal achievements. Regular tips are published on how to be a positive thinker and thus reap the rewards of a change for the better in your life.

Positive Thinking Magazine extolls the joys in our lives, whether big or small, and encourages readers to take the steps necessary to achieve a happier, healthier and more joyous existence. Articles in the magazine are upbeat and uplifting and include good ideas for outstanding vacation destinations, fun quizzes, delicious recipes and ideas for homemakers. It also heralds stories about positive people who have made and are making a difference in their lives and the lives of others as well.

The empowering, real-life stories and other editorial make Positive Thinking Magazine must reading for anyone who desires to improve their daily lives by utilizing the proven principles of Dr. Peale’s lifelong commitment to positive thinking as a beneficial mindset for everyone. The Editors of the magazine are quick to point out that “We are people like you-presumably- who believe that how we think about lives pretty much affects how they turn out. That living a positive lifestyle is the best way to avoid a negative one.”

Positive Thinking Magazine is published bi-monthly. A one-year subscription (6 issues) is priced at just $15.00 and a 100% refund is guaranteed for all undelivered issues to any subscriber not satisfied with the magazine.

The popularity of positive thinking as a method for self improvement is growing rapidly the world over. More and more people are anxious for more quality literature that is both instructive and motivating. PC users with Internet availability are finding a treasure trove of information on the subject available online and just a mouse click away.

Merely typing “power of positive thinking e-books” into a computer’s web browser produces page after page of websites with diverse literature offerings in the form of articles, reviews, e-books and CDs. They range from the e-book version of the very-first book ever written on the subject by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to narratives by well-known motivational speakers to audio-visual presentations consisting of CDs and videos to literature dedicated to specific markets. Many of these are for sale of course, but the prices are reasonable compared to what you’d have to fork over at a bookseller’s establishment. Others are offered as free downloads provided that the person that wants them as willing to ‘log-in’ to that website.

Dr. Peale’s famous book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” was published decades ago before the Internet was established and has been reprinted repeatedly over the years. The book’s sole objective was to show the reader how to achieve a happy, satisfying and worthwhile life through positive thinking. That concept was virtually unknown when Dr. Peale brought it into popularity. It has, however, shown millions how to gain fulfillment in their lives by improving relationships, succeeding in business, learning to look at things positively and take control over personal circumstances. Now available in e-book format, it promises to be equally effective for our latest generations.

While many of today’s e-books about positive thinking are pretty similar in that they contain much of the same basic material as Dr. Peale’s book does, others are carefully tailored to specific niches like dating and relationships, business success, raising children and even coming to grips with things such as terminal illnesses. The subject niches cover about every area of human life imaginable in e-books about positive thinking.

Still other available e-books combine the general topic of positive thinking with subjects like medicine, religion, psychology and education. It’s hard to conceive of any market niche where positive thinking hasn’t been extolled in an either an e-book or in-depth articles as the ultimate practical solution. Finally, doctors and scientists have finally produced evidence that positive thinking really works when it permits a bright, happy and hopeful frame of mind which, in turn, builds our immune systems for better health. This is detailed in e-books as well.

Positive thinking has as much power to deliver in sports excellence as it does in personal relationships, business and virtually everything else. The key to winning in any athletic event starts with a proper mindset and a positive attitude about the game. You must fill your mind with good thoughts, be committed to constant improvements in your game and believe, above all else, that you can play better than you ever did before. If you do this on a regular basis, the result is almost always steady improvement that you can see and feel. Positive thinking works very well in athletics, especially when accompanied by physical conditioning and learning all the strategic fine points of competing in your chosen sport.

When you utilize positive thoughts, images, ideas and self talk to improve your game, you are applying all the important parts of positive thinking. Your aim is to do away with any negative images in your mindset. You will forget about mistakes made in the past and concentrate on preventing them in the future. Your goal is to keep striving for your personal best.

Many athletes have heard time and time again about others who have made spectacular improvements in their performance through positive thinking but have never personally tried to apply those principles to their own game. This is as important a personal commitment as physical conditioning. They work hand in hand no matter which sport is your choice. The average athlete doesn’t understand that success is not a reward, a position, a place, or a rung on a ladder. Nor has it anything to do with yesterday, today or tomorrow. Success is a state of mind! It is a mental process that can be learned through repetition and determination. It mandates that you understand who you are, what your goals are and that you lay the important groundwork to achieve those goals. You don’t permit yourself to back off, lie down on the job, lose faith or give up, because those are negative feelings that aid and abet failure. Positive thinking, ideas and self talk lead to success.

If an athlete is not playing up to his capability or he is caving in under pressure despite all the proper training and physical conditioning, it’s possible that his mind isn’t in the game. He needs a solution and the best solution has proven to be positive thinking. Coaches know this all to well. Leading athletes do too.

There is a wealth of inspirational material on positive thinking available on the Internet and much of it is absolutely free. Download some information. Study it carefully. It just might be the answer to the success you crave.

There is a perhaps overly-simple definition that describes the primary difference between negative and positive feelings. It states that negative feelings yield negative results and positive feelings yield positive results. If this is true, and it does appear to be so, then positive thinking should yield positive results and negative thinking the converse. Thus, the value of positive thinking becomes apparent.

Negative thinking throws up barriers between you and others; stops you from trying new things, blocks your success in business and personal relationships and, perhaps most important, makes you unpleasant to be around. It also makes you look at things from a pessimistic perspective. These thoughts come from fear, uneasiness, apathy, and self talk filled with negative expressions like I can’t, I won’t, I shouldn’t, Why should I care, I’m a loser, I look terrible and many more. The cure comes from positive thinking but it doesn’t always come easily after years and years of negative thinking habits. The easiest thing would be to never start thinking negatively in the first place. However, if that were the case, you’d never be reading this article.

Positive thinking opens the doors which are closed to negative thinkers. It gives you the confidence to try new things, take advantage of business opportunities, make personal relationships more rewarding and makes you a nicer person to be around. You tend to look at things from an optimistic point of view and are characterized by self talk with words like I can, I will, I should, I care, I’m a winner, I look good today and others. People with this frame of mind constantly think about the possibilities of growth, getting ahead, succeeding and solving challenges. They work to build good relationships and sustain them over time. Perhaps most important, they ‘like’ themselves, admit weaknesses and find positive solutions to problems rather than throwing up their hands in despair.

Predominantly negative thinkers who are committed to changing their way of looking at things, have to learn how to focus on positive thoughts and attitudes and to act on them. They must also stop giving themselves excuses as to why things won’t work, can’t be done, or are beyond their abilities, and begin taking some positive steps toward telling themselves why not and giving things their best shot. Doing this isn’t usually easy and requires a lot of practice, so they must really be determined to become positive thinkers. Fortunately, there is a lot of help and really good step-by-step instruction available through positive thinking programs that are readily accessible on the Internet.