No, that is not meant to be a question, but actually a rather simple statement.  You can think yourself healthy.

The power of positive thinking has many effects.  And not just for your health, but also towards your happiness, your friendships, your family, your job, and your life in general.  How you approach life has a profound impact on it. It may seem a bit cliche, talking about the glass half full or half empty, but there is a reason.  Positive thoughts and ideas – towards the major issues that you confront down to the little acts and chores that you deal with on a daily basis – can directly impact your health.

Learning to be positive is not necessarily an inherent attribute.  It can be learned and practiced, although this may be harder for some people.  But ultimately, anyone can benefit from a few small steps that can lead to a more healthy, happy, and meaningful life.

First, let me back up a bit and discuss how negative emotions can have the opposite effect.  This is the biology behind negativity and the stress it brings about.  When people have a poor attitude all of the time, it can lead to chronic stress.  Everything turns into something to be angry or to worry about, when even the little things become a bigger deal than necessary.  This leads to anxiety, and our bodies respond by increasing the amount of cortisol, a steroid hormone.  Cortisol is a hormone that our body needs to function optimally, but can cause a variety of ill effects when the level in our body is chronically elevated.  Here are just some of the negative effects of cortisol if elevated over time: it weakens the immune system, delays wound healing, causes high blood pressure, reduces bone formation (leading to osteoporosis), inhibits collagen, causes insulin resistance, impairs learning and memory, and interferes with the reproductive system.  This is not a complete list, just a few of the major issues that excess cortisol can lead to.  As you can see, this hormone can directly speed up the effects of aging.

Now, not everyone who has a poor outlook on life is stressed.  But it is much easier to become stressed under those circumstances.  Plus, that poor outlook can cause issues in other aspects of your life. When you think negatively, your most likely outcomes will also be the negative ones.  Being the “downer” type will cause your family and friends to want to spend less time with you, if any at all.  The complainer and moaner at work is way less likely to get a promotion.  It is harder to find someone to date, as most people will be immediately turned off by the negativity.  All of these things perpetuate the problem, leading to a constantly deteriorating mood and attitude.

It is for all of those reasons that it is important to approach life in a positive manner.  There are a few steps that anyone can learn to do that can help.  The first is to take a more engaged approach to daily life.  Instead of being angry at the traffic and how long your commute is, use that time to listen to an audio book or relax to music that you love, and also notice the world around you instead of just zoning out.  Notice or do something new every day, either on your way to work or to run errands, or around your home – really look at those flowers outside, relax with a book you have been wanting to read, try a new restaurant, or just take in the beauty of the clouds and the sky.  Be more present in the small daily acts that have to be done, be it driving yourself or others around as mentioned above, doing yard work and chores around the house as a chance to listen to music or clear your mind, or using your kids’ questions about homework as an opportunity to be involved in their lives.  Make a decision to become engaged in life.

Another simple idea is to find relaxation techniques that work for you.  Meditation is a great idea for calming down and finding peace.  There are many different approaches to meditating – a simple way to start is to find somewhere quiet where you can close your eyes without being disturbed.  Imagine something very soothing, and clear your mind of all stressful things.  Focus on your breathing, taking slow, deep breaths in and out.  Other stress reducers include soaking in a hot bath, listening to soothing music, getting a massage, or relaxing with a good book.  It doesn’t really matter what you do specifically, as long as you are doing something that is relaxing and calming.

Another great way to build a positive attitude is to bring back the fun in life.  This can be through sports or hobbies, or even spending more time with friends or family.  You want to enjoy as much of your daily life as you can, so do things that bring you happiness.  Start playing the guitar again, or learn to play golf because you have always wanted to.  Get a group of friends together to go have dinner. Join a local soccer team and enjoy the camaraderie you loved when you were in school.  Plan date nights with your spouse and re-kindle the romance that brought you together.  These are just a few ideas, but the goal is to bring more joy into your life.

On a more grand scale, you have to enjoy what you do.  If you hate your job or you are always stressed about work, you are hurting yourself both physically and emotionally.  Work tends to be where we spend most of our time throughout life, and yet is most often the least satisfying and the cause of most regret and anxiety.   I know it sounds easier than it actually is, but find a way to do something that you truly enjoy.  Plodding along because you think it’s the only option is not a way to be happy and healthy.  Everyone around you will be better off in the long run if you are actually enjoying what you do.  And most importantly, you will be better off.

The key is to keep thinking positively, in all aspects of life. If you do this every day, it will be much easier to confront those inevitable challenging moments when they arise.  And you will be healthier in the long run!