ARTAWellness
ARTAWellness
Positive Thinking and Emotional Well-Being
BEVERLY MALLETT
Is your glass half empty or half full ? We all are familiar with this somewhat clichéd question , but it does reflect our outlook on life and our attitude toward ourselves . Whether we are optimistic or pessimistic can have a distinct bearing on our emotional and our physical health . According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic , personality traits such as optimism and pessimism affect many areas of our health and well-being . Positive thinking and , subsequently , an optimistic attitude , are key components of effective stress management that , in turn , is associated with many health benefits .
Negative feelings , according to Dr . Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin at Madison , activate an area of the brain that is involved in processing fear , anxiety and other stressful emotions and can place the individual at greater risk for a variety of health problems . The good news , as Dr . Davidson ’ s research has shown , is that the brain is ‘ plastic ’ and capable of generating new cells and pathways that can promote more positive responses to life ’ s ups and downs .
We cannot always be positive ; in our lives there are times and situations that cause negative feelings even in the most optimistic person . Anxiety , anger , sadness , sorrow , loneliness or ill-health and loss , are part of our lives at one time or another . But , in everyday life , if the thoughts that run through our heads are mostly negative , our attitude is more likely to be pessimistic .
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