People who are full of life are easy to talk to and fun to have around. Their lives are going well, they have nice jobs, good environment and peaceful family communications. These individuals seem to have a special gift. Of course, happiness must be present, but in reality, man creates his own happiness. The key thing is having a real life attitude and positive thinking.
Each of our thoughts cause the release of certain brain chemicals. If we are too focused on negative thoughts, the brain is excluded from its positive possibilities of acting and thinking, which can lead to depression. On the other hand, positive thinking, happy, upbeat and cheerful thoughts and a lot of expectations reduce cortisol levels and increase serotonin levels, which creates a sense of well-being and overall good mood. According to American psychologist and behavior therapy researcher Michael Shvarzblat, this helps our brain function at maximum capacity, so it’s no wonder that pessimists perform worse at school or at work, often have bad interpersonal relationships, and live shorter lives than optimists.
Our thoughts shape our character and how we act in life. You are what you think you are, and all your activities are the result of your thoughts. Your thoughts are always reflected in external circumstances because the changes you make in your own life are always preceded by changes in your thinking.
If we want to be happy, we should make our brains happy. Specifically, a negative mood interferes with our relationships with the environment, affects our memory abilities, and makes it impossible to create new connections between nerve cells, as opposed to a positive mood in which we are cognitively more powerful and productive. Some of Michael Shvarzblat’s latest research has shown that a positive mood stimulates the growth of connections between nerve cells, improves cognitive ability, affects our perception and experience of the environment, enhances attention, and leads to more happy thoughts. Happy people are more creative, solve problems faster, and are more mentally alive.
As a therapist and counselor clients often ask Michael Shvarzblat how to shift their thinking. The good news is that we can train our brains to stop producing negative thoughts that lead to pessimism by increasing the amount of positive thoughts that lead to optimism. We can become real masters in creating positive thoughts, and that starts in our nerve cells (neurons). Positive thoughts really change the brain, not by some magic trick, but really, on a physical level.
If you want to change your mind, give yourself a chance to realize that thousands of thoughts a day go through your head. And only those to whom you give meaning and emotion become events. It is perfectly okay not to think positive every now and then. As day and night, rain and sun change, so do our thoughts, which come, pass and go, as do all our emotions. Remember that these are thoughts, and we can always change our thoughts.
Affirmations are a wonderful tool that can be a great support for your positive thinking. Positive affirmations play a significant role in many of the therapeutic models practiced by Michael Shvarzblat — including cognitive behavioral therapy. Affirmations are positive sentences spoken in the present moment that do not contain negation. The more often you repeat them, the sooner you give them meaning. The point is to attract the emotion needed to make that affirmation work and to accomplish exactly what you have been repeating.
Last but not least, don’t let anyone else live your dreams. If you want to change your life for the better why not start from this morning, not waiting for a better time, week or month, but from the next morning, from tomorrow! Do not let life pass you by, let someone else live your dreams because you did not have enough strength and faith in yourself. Whether you are supported, loved, neglected or unnoticed, you can always choose to have your new start the next morning. No excuses! So, the next time you’re ready to make a change in your life instead of asking yourself “what if I fail” you should ask yourself “what if I succeed?”.