Avoid Early Death - Think Positive!

Well, you may be right with some of those things, but it really is true that you do live longer if you think positively. According to a Study in the 2002 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, people who scored high on optimism had a 50 percent lower risk of premature death than those who scored more pessimistic. The report states that people who expect misfortune and who only see the darker side of life don’t live as long as those with a more optimistic view.

Pretty interesting, huh? See? I have valid, solid proof to back up what I have been preaching most of my adult life. Not only is that a fact, but the researchers from the study found that some of the health benefits related to positive attitude were:

• Fewer problems with work because of physical or emotional health
• Fewer problems with work because of physical or emotional health
• Increased energy
• Less pain and fewer limitations due to pain
• Feeling more peaceful, happier and calmer

Wow, so if you begin to think positively, all of those great benefits could be yours! If you asked me, staying positive to live longer is a pretty good deal!

ONE WORD THAT WILL HEP YOU STAY POSITIVE

Yes, there is one word that will work for many of you. I have used it for years and still use it on occasion. The word is "CANCEL". It is a powerful word my mother (the most positive person I know) taught me to use. I use it to stop any negative thoughts or negative energy from getting to me. She taught this to me at an early age and it has helped me tremendously throughout the years. Saying it out- loud proves to be more effective, however saying it to yourself also has its benefits.

Let me give you an example. What happens when you are around a group of people, friends, co-workers who do nothing but complain? I mean, all they do when they get together is talk about how Jo-Ann never got the raise, or how Bob got a poor review, or how the paperwork never ends, or how they can’t believe this and they can't believe that. What happens to you and your mind set? What happens when you are bombarded by this negative force of energy? What happens to your spirit, your attitude, your outlook? It becomes broken and poisoned by what you are constantly surrounded each day.

What do you do? Well, you can remove yourself from the situation, leave the group, quit your job, or if none of those are options at this time, try using the word "Cancel" the minute you start to feel overwhelmed by this nonsense. It truly will work. You will interrupt the flow of negative energy before it is absorbed by your brain. Think of it as bouncing off of your head and going through the wall or ceiling.

How else can you begin to think and feel positively? In order to increase your chances of living to 101, you need to be living your life the way you WANT to live it. Not the way you SHOULD live it, or HAVE to live it. There are choices in life and each day we make them. Your life is in your hands. You have the power to make things happen or not happen. If you love living the American dream and are satisfied with living where you are than WONDERFUL! If you had to stop and think to really tell if you are satisfied with your life, than maybe you should take the time to re-evaluate where you are going, what your values in life are and if your life is designed around those values. If you need help figuring this out, there are many resources out there…including hiring me as your coach! Together we can create the life you were meant to live!

If you know of someone who is consistently negative and complains about life in general, they may have something to worry about. According to the March 2001 issue of American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers reported that the dissatisfaction with life can also lead to higher rates of suicide compared to those who repeatedly feeling satisfied with life. Even more shocking, men were 14 times more likely to commit suicide than satisfied men. These finding reflect the known association between depression and suicide and the researchers conclude that life dissatisfaction may be an early sign of future mental problems.

It truly is an issue and one to seriously thing about. Being a positive person reaps so many rewards. Let the little things fall to the way side and truly focus on the big picture. What are you living for? What is your purpose as a human being? I might be a little too deep for some of you, but when you are ready, try thinking about how you would answer those questions.

What can you do to help you be more happier?

Exercise- Yes, as many of you know, this is imperative and is what I tell everyone I meet. When you are feeling low, get outside, take a walk, go for a run, dance naked in your living room…do whatever it takes to get that body moving! Join a local gym, try some Yoga or Pilates classes, take up Swing Dancing (just beware of the really sweaty men). Aerobic exercise releases endorphins-these are substances that produce feeling of satisfaction and wellness- this inevitably leads to reduced stress, depression, anxiety. Weight training is also beneficial and will build muscle, increase your bone density, and will make you feel strong and great!

Eat Well- Your body and your mind need to be fed well. In order to think positively, your body needs to be fed positive things! Throw out the junk food!

Get rid of that cookie dough in your refrigerator, get rid of that stash of Godiva hidden in a shoe-box in you closet..yes, I know it’s there…you’re busted! Instead fill your body with nutrients..whole foods, foods with color, green, reds, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, wholesome grains. Once again, you are in control of what you eat..not your kids or your husband or the cat….it’s all YOU!

Get a Good Night Sleep- sleep will replenish you and heals your body. it improves your attitude and gives you energy for all of that exercise I told you to do! I know this is a difficult for many of you, but if you start making small changes, you can help yourself sleep longer, better and thus be on your way to thinking positive!

Become Organized- If your office house, workspace, is disorganised, so is your life. When life becomes disorganised, it is easy to become pessimistic, which is not were we want to be! So, have a plan, get organization back into your life. Again, start small. Get outside help if you need to. Do all you can to be as organized as possible

Reduce Stress- Identify the areas that cause you stress, then step back to analyse what you can do to make that area better. Plan more time for yourself, schedule meditation breaks, bath nights, journal writing, going to church. Learn to simplify and your stress levels should decrease immensely.