The power of positive thinking. Most likely you have heard this catch phrase sometime during your life.  There are countless books on the subject and research has been done to test the power of positive thinking. For example, years ago studies were conducted to determine if cancer patients would feel better and heal faster if they thought positively about their situation, even imagining their cancer cells being destroyed. The results were encouraging. 

One form of psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral which purports that positive thinking can in fact change behaviors and feelings for the better. No matter what you believe about the current types of psychotherapies, I think most people agree that thinking about positive things is more enjoyable than thinking about negative things.

I pause to note that when people are severely depressed, anxious or suffering from other mental health disorders, it is not easy or sometimes even possible to just “think positively.” Sometimes, people with mental health disorders need medication to help them on their road to recovery. And oftentimes people who are struggling emotionally need assistance in the form of a mental health counselor to help them design and implement a treatment plan that will address their negative thought patterns in a variety of ways. 

Some ways to combat negative thoughts include—replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts, meditating on positive ideas/mantras/scriptures, praying/meditating and keeping a gratitude journal. 

Keeping a gratitude journal is one of the simplest ways to promote positive thoughts. A gratitude journal helps document things you are thankful for. You may write in this journal daily, weekly or even several times per day, but the goal is to get you thinking about the good things in your life.

Journaling is just one method of employing positive thinking in your life. A mental health counselor can help you identify ways to change your negative thought patterns, feel more grateful and experience more joy in your life. If you are feeling depressed, in a rut or having trouble finding joy in everyday life a therapist can help you. Please call Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to make an appointment.