The Power of Positive Thinking

As most know I am a therapist and a believer that our thoughts do greatly effect our emotions. I also do not like to talk to people who seem to be always negative, talk about negative things, and think the worst in situations. I am not going to lie. I am a worrier by nature. I think I come from a family of worriers. I married into a family who are much the opposite. Not that they don't worry at all but they are much more patient and calm about things than I am. I can't tell you how many times my husband's said "it'll all work out" or the times my mother-in-law has said "whatever is meant to be will be" and the few times that I have talked with my father-in-law and his response is something to the fact of "don't worry about it. it will be okay".  Where my natural tendency would be to stress and say I need to fix it or come up with a plan NOW. I don't know if they are rubbing off on me or if I am doing some cognitive behavioral therapy with myself or what but I have been trying to consciously work on not worrying so much and thinking positive.
I know some people disagree with the whole power of positive thinking philosophy. I do agree that you can take it to an extreme. Just because you tell yourself you are going to have a good day or be wealthy or be successful doesn't mean that you will. However, you can chose to think positive or negative about any circumstance in your life. Some situations obviously would be harder than others. Some ways I have started implementing them are things that are struggles for me. Like unexpected bills I have to pay, I normally freak out over it and stress and worry and obsess over it until I come up with some plan that eases my worry. Also wanting something that probably I could have if I pursued it but I know it's not the best decision right now. I choose to think differently about both those things and it really has helped. I have to catch my impulsive or anxious thoughts and reframe them into accurate helpful positive thoughts. This is what I teach client's to do all the time but it's much easier to teach than it is to practice some times. I can practice it on issues that don't really bother me but those that are my weak spots I have trouble with like the ones I mentioned above. The two big ones that I have had recently really have worked out without me doing anything drastic or stressing over. The thing is for us worriers things hardly ever turn out as bad as we think they are going to so why stress over it in the first place right.
What's got me on this psychobabble kick today you ask? Well I really have been consciously working on it lately and seeing the benefits and today I went to and will go tomorrow on a all day Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy conference which deals with these issues. The presenter was a therapist through and through (kind of like I believe I am obviously he is much more knowledgeable than I am). His microphone went off in the afternoon session and instead of saying "Aw..crap the microphone quit working! It'll take some time to get me up and running. We are going to run late now".  Instead he said "the battery must of given out...It lasted a long time though.. all most all day". Both of those statements are equally true and accurate. If you think the first one you are going to feel mad/frustrated/irritated. If you think the second one you are going to feel appreciative/be understanding/patient. So why not think positive? Makes sense right?!?!  However, too most of us or people like me that doesn't always come naturally so you have to work on it but it will be well worth it.  (That will be $150 please. Just kidding)

Seriously and on a spiritual note, I think the power of positive thinking is biblical too. Man didn't come up with psychology. God created man and knows how our mind works. The Bible warns against negative thoughts and to cast our cares on Him because he cares for us. We as Christians should be the least of worriers because we know we serve a God who loves us more than we can ever imagine and even though life is hard He is there for us no matter what. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother and our ever present help in time of need. He is our provider and nothing is impossible with God.

Two things that made my heart smile today:
1. I saw a very cute elderly man at UAMS eating lunch with his elderly wife which was sweet enough and then the man was wearing an "I heart Jesus" hat. As my pastor says when he talks about older people who are still faithfully loving and serving God. That it gives him (and me) encouragement that God is good and faithful or why would people that age still be willing to serve Him. :)
2. I was eating lunch by an area of the hospital that patients come in an out of. First there was this woman looked in bad health and looked like it even hurt to even walk or move. Those situations freak me out and I don't know what to do so I often freeze and the woman looked at me and gave me a huge sincere smile. It almost brought tears to my eyes as I was thinking this poor old lady. If I were her how grumpy I would be and probably be envious of younger able bodied people and for her to be so seemingly happy. I made my heart smile. So two seconds later another very similar lady came out so I gave her a big smile and she gave one right back. :)

GO BE POSITIVE PEOPLE!