Find Joy
As a cancer survivor I believe we can’t control what happens to us in life but we can control and manage our response to it. Based on my life experience I like to live my life with gratitude. You don’t have to be a cancer survivor to find gratitude or joy. Having a positive mindset has so many health benefits including less stress. Stress increases cortisol and adrenaline which has many negative effects to your health including high blood pressure and increased visceral tissue.
Here are tips to finding joy:
- Identify Negative Thoughts: Negative thoughts prevent you from looking on the positive side of life according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Start Your Day Positively: Negative thinkers tend to begin a day thinking something will go wrong. Instead focus on the aspects of your day that could go right and what you are looking forward to about your day.
- Live a Healthy Lifestyle: A lifestyle that emphasizes healthy eating and stress relief helps you to improve your mood positively. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercising 3X’s a week equals a more positive mood.
- Say a Daily Affirmation: Affirmations are positive thoughts you say aloud to encourage yourself. Your affirmation can be anything from “I will have a good day today” to a favorite quote. You also may choose to think a positive thought about yourself and repeat it when negative thoughts enter your head.
- Find Positive Friends: Surrounding yourself with positive people can help you find the support and encouragement you need to live a positive life
- Seek Humor: Whether watching a funny movie, read a book of jokes or seeing a stand-up comedian, laughing and being open to humor can help you feel more positive
- See a Situation in a Different Way: When it comes to positive thinking, outlook matters.
- Stop Worrying: Try changing your thought patterns. Your patterns-what you do and think and say every day determine how happy you are. It’s got nothing to do with what’s around you, but everything to do with how your brain works-that inner voice.
Any new habit takes practice so when it comes to positive thinking the more you reinforce this way of thinking the more likely you will continue.
Yours in Health,
Anita
