Positive Thinking: Does it really work?
By zralte
@zralte (4178)
India
February 28, 2011 1:25pm CST
I have just seen a TV ad from DNA Media (Indian Newspaper).
It shows the Indian Football team competing in World Cup 2022 with the National Anthem being played, waving Indian Flag, you get the idea.
The catchline says 'Anything is possible if we think Positive' or something to that effect.
It got me thinking about 'Thinking Positive'. All Psychiatrist/Psychoanalyst (that I know of and heard of) recommend thinking positive. I do too, for that matter. Why be negative at all when you don't know what's going to happen anyway? One of my favourite English Proverb said, "Hope for the Best, but Prepare for the Worst" Well, I try to.
Right, back to thinking positive, I can't honestly think back to my past experiences when 'Thinking Positive' actually enabled me to get anything or helped me succeed. I don't think it hurts either.
Your ideas and views on this please. Have you ever thought 'Thinking Positive' actually helped you achieve something? Have you had an experience in which you could say, 'Had I been negative, I would not have got that / it would not have happened'.
1 person likes this
10 responses
@sais06 (1284)
• Philippines
1 Mar 11
Thinking positively keeps those negative feelings away. This is what gives us hope even in the worst of situation. We lose our ability to believe if we don't think positively and that what makes us lose focus to our goals. So I hope we can be optimistic all the time.
Have a nice day!
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
That is a good way of putting it. I agree completely. If we just focus on the positive side of things, we can think of other ways. If we just wallow in despair, then of course, we cannot think straight, and just the bad side of things, and well, there really are lots of bad sides to everything, and therefore, no place to think a different way.
@jennyze (7028)
• Indonesia
1 Mar 11
Yes, it helps. Having a positive thinking make you work harder, not give up easily as well as prepare for the worst and preparing other courses to achieve what you aim. It is kind of motivation. And with a good motivation, people can reach anything they like. Well, it is theoretically. In a more concrete way, I has been feeling negative towards my boss for sometimes and just recently I promise myself to start over and to look in the positive way (that I still have a job, that hopefully I can be independent in two years time, that who knows my boss would be my supporter when I starting my own business, etc.) and now I feel easier and y boss also feels more relaxed when talking or discussing something with me. So, in other word life is easier for both of us now in the office.
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
Hi jennyze, that is a great example. Just the kind I'm hoping to hear. Like I've mentioned in my previous comments, I am and always will be optimistic kind of person; and I have never thought about the impact of positive thinking. Strengthen my resolve never to think negative thoughts as much as possible. Saves depression and lots of hardship. Thank you for sharing.
@jennyze (7028)
• Indonesia
2 Mar 11
That is good if you have that positive approach in life. I've just found this attitude at my older age. Before, everything is either black or white for me, if you are gray you are the exception. Now, I know better, there is not pure white nor black, everything is gray. We just need to look whether it is gray that tends to be good or bad.
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
18 Apr 11
Hi Z!
It is said that when you are upset, you should count your blessings. Also, we should only think about positive things. You see thinking about negative things, starts a sort of chain reaction and you get lost in negativity only. I try to be positive, as much as I can. I know I cannot stop negative thoughts from coming to mind but when they come, I try to divert my mind.
Good Post!
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
19 Apr 11
Hi Z!
Good morning!
It sounds interesting to hear that re-reading your own post did help you cheer you up and you could pull up your socks again. Actually, we can advice others, however, when we need to counsel ourselves, it gets difficult. It is true that many times we feel depressed or low and life appears difficult to live, at that point of time if we swtich our mind to channel 'P' i.e. positive thoughts, we are able to cope with with the pressure.
@zralte (4178)
• India
19 Apr 11
You know, this particular post has helped me in my life. Strange to say, I've been meaning to get back to it to share with everyone how it helped me.
About a week after I started this discussion, I was feeling really low and I could not think in a positive way. Then I remembered what I have written here and what other members have shared, I thought to myself, 'Well, if I cannot think of my many blessings, I am the biggest hypocrite. I have written to everyone that I'm always able to see the brighter side of things, and here I am, feeling sorry for myself'. That really pulled me out. I know that no members from myLot are going to know that experience or that I did not follow my own advice, but I would forever feel guilty about that. So I started thinking happy thoughts, count the many blessings I have and thought about how lucky I am compared to many, I was alright again.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
1 Mar 11
Hi zralte 
I am a kid when it comes to positive thinking. I had been one of those who used to believe - Positive Thinking is running away from facts until 2008. But then something changed somehow (still unsure whether it was a Divine Intervention or anything that I still cannot relate to) but yes, I am a changed man since then.
I believe that Positive Thinking is just about a mindset. It does not give you any benefits directly. What it does is that it prepares you to face the odds of life better by instigating a sense of Hope and Confidence in you to see you through the bad patches of life. An example from my little experience - There is light after every dark day (Positive Thinking) and you get the courage to keep fighting when things are dark with you. A lot of such examples.
I am a kid when it comes to positive thinking. I had been one of those who used to believe - Positive Thinking is running away from facts until 2008. But then something changed somehow (still unsure whether it was a Divine Intervention or anything that I still cannot relate to) but yes, I am a changed man since then.
I believe that Positive Thinking is just about a mindset. It does not give you any benefits directly. What it does is that it prepares you to face the odds of life better by instigating a sense of Hope and Confidence in you to see you through the bad patches of life. An example from my little experience - There is light after every dark day (Positive Thinking) and you get the courage to keep fighting when things are dark with you. A lot of such examples.
@huruxiao (39)
• China
1 Mar 11
I know that to many religious sect in world thinking is one kind of energy.though one man's usuall thinking is very weak in energy,and it's effect can be neglected.But in special time,when one man's thinking is very strong or there are many people thinking one thing,the thinking energy have powerful effect and can change the thing's result.In my opinion,Positive thinking more effect your behavior than have energy.you will act positivelly when you think positivelly.For example,you will review more carefully or be more confident when you whink that I can get a high scores.And finally you get a high scores.
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
I've heard of people believing the positive energy by thoughts and beliefs. I have never met one. I would love to talk to them and see the way they think and how they start their beliefs and such.
Thank you for your contribution. And Welcome to myLot. Happy Lotting.
@prabu03 (175)
• India
1 Mar 11
The fact is, positive thinking can be a very effective tool in the right circumstances,but it has to be done the right way and at the right time.But before I get into that, I want to get off on the right foot and say it is best to consider positive thinking as self-coaching. It's a more accurate description of what you're trying to do, and it is the name researchers use when they try to determine if self-coaching makes any difference.And they've discovered it does. For example,in a study of Olympic gymnasts, they found that those who made the U.S. men's gymnastics team employed more self-coaching than those who weren't able to qualify. In a different study, "positive self-talk" made it easier for a gymnast to do well. Researcher Susan Jackson did a study on twenty-eight elite athletes from seven different sports. She found that confidence, ability to focus, and level of motivation were key factors in their ability ability to consistently succeed.Self-coaching can enhance those key factors.
@joro1best (222)
• Bulgaria
28 Feb 11
Hello zralte!
I think that everything is controled from our mind.When we think positive,we are ready for positive things,we search them and we know that nothing can happen to us.And here comes our mind.I saw that when i'm positive i never participate in any conflicts.I just don't want to.But if i think negative - my day will be terrible,ill have many conflicts etc. that happends.I just do it alone,but don't understand it after all.And now i see that negative thinking isn't good.Made that conclusion from my tests in school.
At every test i've been thinking - o no ill have a low rating and other.And at the test i forget most of the things.But when i'm thinking positive my mind is clear i can remember anything and evrything is looking so easy for me...Idk,but maybe positive thinking really works.Lets see will other people think like us :)
Have a positive day! - Joro
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
Hi joro1best, thank you very much for sharing. You certainly brought out what I hope this topic will bring up. That is how positive thinking helped us. It is never a direct help or anything that you can pinpoint, but we all know it helps.
Keep thinking positive.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
28 Feb 11
Oh gosh yes it does for me. Ii use to be such a negative person, always thinking about what if and why? I was such a silent depressed person. I have to admit that positive thinking allows me to understand that I did my all and my best. When I wake each morning I do hope for the best, and when the evening falls I am sort of prepared for the worst.
My positive thinking allows me to hope yet for another day to try again, and continue trying until I get it right. I must also admit that I lost some of zest for positivity shortly before I started here on myLot, so many issues at one time forced me to completely be negative.
It was Miss Hatley who with a few sweet words got me back into my mode of positivity. So although not completely out of the woods yet, I continue to remember what she has shared with me and this allows me to have a very positive outlook and I will continue to work on remaining this way for years to come. Regardless of what issues and or comes my way.
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
You have no idea how glad it makes me feel to find out from your experience how myLot helps its members through other members. It is stories like this which makes my heart melt, every single time.
I always advocate for thinking positive, even without knowing exactly how it helped me. Now I understand that it is what makes me smile and laugh in a world full of sorrow.
It is stories like this which makes my heart melt, every single time.
I always advocate for thinking positive, even without knowing exactly how it helped me. Now I understand that it is what makes me smile and laugh in a world full of sorrow.
@FaniKaka (44)
• Pakistan
28 Feb 11
Learn from your past and go further with a positive approach because without a positive approach you cannot completely use your skills and specialities which can ease your work.
success can be easily achieved by dividing your goal into parts, first concentrate on achieving the first part then work on the second one rather than looking towards the top, this can also boost your confidence level.
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
I like that - Divide and Conquer. I always tell my husband when he is stressed out. Make a list, tackle them one by one. Taken everything as a whole, it is overwhelming. If you just break them down and work on getting each small part done, the small parts are not that big or overwhelming.
@sexyice (873)
• Latvia
28 Feb 11
Hey hey zralte ;)
Yes ofcourse :) You need read book or watch film "The secret" this is story about our positive thinking, we can all do just with thinking and if we thinking bad things, bad things then come in our lifes. Every day I try thinking positive and yea, I feel it is work!!! Thoughts materialize, we can stop sickness with just thinking positive!!!
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Mar 11
Hi sexyice, you are right, of course. It is not something that you can pinpoint and say, 'yeah, that was because of my positive thinking'. We can see it clearly when we see a depressed person.
I will have to get the book. Who is the author? That will help my search. Thanks.
