Positive thinking: how to make the most of your world, cope with adversity and increase your well-being with the right attitude
- Positive thinking is nothing new, but its effects can make a huge difference, especially during times of stress
- Looking at the world with a more optimistic attitude promotes mental and physical well-being
Positive thinking. You could be forgiven for imagining this is the lexicon of new age pop psychology – but it’s been around for ages.
The Greek philosopher Epictetus, who died in AD135, observed, “The thing that upsets people is not so much what happens, but what they think about what happens.”
Nearly 2,000 years later in 1952, Norman Vincent Peale published The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living. It sold more than five million copies worldwide and was translated into over 40 languages.
What is positive thinking exactly? Hong Kong-based life coach Tali Weiss explains: “Positive thinking does not necessarily mean avoiding or ignoring bad things, instead it involves making the most of a bad situation, focusing on the best in other people, and viewing yourself and your strengths and abilities in a positive light.”
Emilie Ducommun is also a life coach in Hong Kong. She explains how developing a more optimistic way of thinking about your world can foster positive emotions, which in turn promote physical well-being.