Positive thinking is essential today. Several things in media and life can color our perspective on life. They can cause us to be anxious.
In Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s classic book, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” the author writes about how essential positive thinking is to an individual’s well-being. He rightly highlights that positive thinking affects us on several levels.
Here are some reasons why positive thinking (and subsequently positive speaking) is critical, from personal observations:
- Positive thinking impacts our mental and emotional health. It helps us feel happy. It reduces depression, anxiety, and stress. Positive individuals focus on the possibilities and goodness they can experience instead of thinking about an “impending doom” that might never happen. They focus on the current goodness of God. This focus then helps them to feel uplifted. They know if God has done good things for them, He’ll do it again. He never changes for our good.
- As Peale highlights, positive thinking also impacts our physical health and longevity. Positive thinking can lead to longevity because positive individuals have cheerful mindsets and outlooks on life. They have great expectations. As Christians, we know that God shall meet our expectations. “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18, NIV). Positive people have a way of handling life that allows them to live stress-free. The Bible confirms that a relaxed life lengthens our lives while jealousy rots them away (Proverbs 14:30).
- Positive thinking aids us in our spiritual walk. You may think, how so? When we’re optimistic, the devil’s negative thoughts cannot stand or affect us. Also, the Word of God is confident about our future as children of God. So, we should be thankful and hopeful about God’s future for us. Several promises of God prove this positive outlook.
- Positive thinking brings peace. God’s Word tells us to focus on beautiful things: thoughts aligned with God’s Word (Philippians 4:8). When we think about these things, we’ll have peace. When we think about these things, they’ll be the very things that come from our mouths. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat of its fruit (whether the fruit is life or death) (Proverbs 18:21).
- Positive thinking positively affects our relationships. After all, everybody wants to be around someone positive, encouraging, and hopeful. Positive people enjoy relationships, too. Positive people enjoy relationships because they see and believe the best in people. Positive people are likelier to have low levels of friction and stress in their relationships. They focus on the strengths instead of the weaknesses of others. Naturally, people enjoy the presence of cheerful people, and they, in turn, enjoy strong, healthy communities.
So, with all these in mind, remember to focus on the goodness of God the next time negativity tries to steal your joy. Remember the several emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and relational benefits to you and say “yes!” to positivity.
Akosua Frempong, Ph.D., is a freelance journalist with the Evangelical Press Association. She has worked in journalism on three continents. As part of her journalism experience, she has worked as a broadcast journalist, anchor, and producer. Dr. Frempong is an adjunct journalism professor at Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Moreover, she is the founder of Listening Ear Communications, a company that provides excellent, professional journalism to various news media organizations and publications.