I am a big believer in the power of positive thought. Not only have I seen it work with my clients, but there is evidence that shows what happens to the brain when one engages in negative thinking versus positive thinking. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (adrenaline), the three main chemical messengers in the body that are responsible for our stress response, increase when we experience stress coupled with negative thinking. Also, cortisol, a stress hormone, increases and chronically elevated cortisol can lead to a myriad of health problems (elevated blood sugar, bone loss, a lowered immune system, high blood pressure, decreased muscle mass, increased body fat accumulation, and decreased cognitive functioning).
With my therapy clients, I often teach them the power of affirmations and in particular, how unmotivated and demoralizing negative self-talk can be. It contributes to anxiety, depression, and so many other challenges. Positive affirmations, when used regularly can lead to an increase in positive self-worth, motivation, empowerment, more patience, less criticism, and overall happiness. When we feel better and are truly a friend to ourselves we can then have healthier relationships with others.
Neuroplasticity is the idea that our brains (structures, neurons and synapses) are always changing with different experiences and activities. When we are used to thinking in negative ways, our neural pathways in this regard, are strengthened and the opposite happens when we think more positively. I like to use the analogy of snow sledding. When people go sledding they have the choice to pick an established path or make their own. The ones that are used more regularly are faster and slicker and the new ones take some time to break in. We can think of our neural pathways for thinking patterns in this same way. In more negative thinking styles, the pathway is fast and can seem automatic. If one is not used to thinking more positively, it takes time for this neural pathway to become established and therefore "slicker and faster." With positive thinking, the brain structures responsible for positive emotions become larger. The left pre-frontal cortex tends to be larger in individuals who are more optimistic and think more positively. Also, cortisol lowers and serotonin levels increase when one engages in more positive thinking.
As the Winter Olympics recently wrapped up, I am reminded of Mikaela Shiffrin, a highly accomplished medalist in downhill skiing. She shared recently that she started seeing a sports psychologist because even with her success, power, speed, agility, and strength, she was starting to doubt her skiing abilities. Her psychologist provided her with the very useful tool of affirmations. On her wrist she has written, "I am..." This is a prompt for her to remember all of her positive abilities as a skiier and as a woman. She noted that this simple reminder has made an important impact on her self-perception and performance.
This last week in February, always dedicated to "National Eating Disorders Awareness Week", was recently celebrated. In my years where I was a psychologist at a university, we developed various campaigns to support healthier attitudes and behaviors with regard to one's bodies. We gave out positive affirmations from the Dressing Room Project (https://www.facebook.com/The-Dressing-Room-Project-182888068397362/) to our students and university community. Also, we passed out stickers with positive messages like "Your body rocks, I love my body," and many more.
Affirmations are so simple and powerful. Not only are positive affirmations kinder more compassionate ways to treat one's self, but the scientific evidence showing how more positive thinking changes your brain, for the better, is growing. That is pretty exciting if you ask me.
What are your views about positive self-talk? Have you had to catch yourself in a moment of self-criticism and then remind yourself of the need to be kinder? What helps you have more positive kinder language to yourself? I can't wait to hear your experience.
With Kindness,
Kerry
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