How Positive Thinking Impacts Your Business

It’s often said that there are two types of people in the world: optimists and pessimists. Some see the glass as half full, and others see it as almost empty. Some people go to work with high expectations and ambitions, and others drag themselves through the door while simultaneously dreading future failures.  

Even the most positive among us have moments where negative thoughts and doubts creep in. These little reminders and unfolding scenarios are our brain's response to stress and worry; moments where we envision the worst possible outcome and possibilities.   

Most of us understand that negative thoughts serve no purpose. And that planning for the worst possible outcome is not the same as believing it will happen. Instead, experts believe that positive thinking is more productive and useful. And that applies to our personal lives and our professional careers.  

Positive thinking is a buzzword that has become a part of our national mantra. But does it really work? Mental health therapists and mental health counselors already know the power of positivity. And if you’re preparing for a career transition, looking to improve upon your school counselor salary, or simply researching things to know about a nursing career, it’s important to keep a positive mindset throughout to get the best results. Positivity is important. Let’s talk about it.   

The Roots of Positive Thinking   

The beginnings of the “positive thought” movement in the United States go back to the 1800s. During this time, new schools of thought were forming based on the idea that the mind could affect the body directly. The practice of mesmerism, or hypnotism, was just becoming popular, and doctors and “healers” were beginning to make claims that they could heal patients of their ills with nothing more than the application of positive thoughts.   

Since then, hypnotism has become more of a spectacle, while the practice of positive thinking and “mind over matter” has persisted to become a common belief in the American psyche. But is it more than that? Is there any real proof that positive thinking can have positive outcomes?   

Measuring the Effect of Positive Thoughts  

There have been actual scientific studies into the power of positive thinking. And while the idea that positive thought can reap real results, and like attracts like, are hypotheses that are hard to measure, the studies that researchers have done might surprise you.   

A study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that women who had an optimistic outlook had a much lower risk of dying from major health issues like cancer, heart disease, and stroke than less optimistic women.   

A study published in the Journal of Behavior Research and Therapy in 2016 found that people with an anxiety disorder had decreased anxiety symptoms when they used positive outcome visualization in response to worries.   

Smiling more, even when it’s not genuine, has been linked to lower blood pressure and a slower heart rate during periods of stress. That’s according to a study conducted at the University of Kansas.  

Neuroplasticity and Positive Thinking  

Neuroplasticity is defined as the brain’s ability to form new connections, or learn, throughout a person’s lifetime. Researchers have found that our brains adapt to our environments, outside stimuli, events, and information, forming new synaptic connections to better manage those inputs.   

Neuroplasticity gives our brains the ability to anticipate outcomes, especially when given repeated reinforcements. Think of how you salivate when you anticipate eating something you love, or how you smile when you anticipate a joyous event.  

The problem comes when your brain anticipates a negative outcome in the same way. Our brain's natural processes already lean toward negative thoughts because of our instincts of self-preservation. We look for danger before it happens. But keeping that mindset when it’s not useful can harm our brain’s ability to process information and inhibit our creativity and thinking patterns. Our brains automatically leap to where they would be if a negative outcome has already occurred.   

How to Apply Positive Thought to Your Career  

Positive thinking is a topic that deserves more research, but what we have learned so far is this: imagining positive outcomes is more useful for our brains  than imagining negative ones. In terms of applying that concept to your everyday work environment, that means looking for the good instead of stewing in the bad.   

Positive people, in general, are happier, less stressed, better able to manage stressful situations, and live longer healthier lives. What’s more, positive people attract other positive people through their attitudes and energy. Negativity, on the other hand, repels positive people – which leads to fewer collaborations and the sharing of ideas.   

Conclusion  

Making the change to become a positive thinker instead of a negative one takes practice, especially if it’s something that doesn’t come naturally to you. But with practice, you can do it! Focus on looking for good in every situation. Imagine yourself succeeding instead of replaying potential failures repeatedly before they’ve even happened. And when a failure does happen, look for what you can take from it to move forward positively.