{"id":763,"date":"2020-12-11T03:19:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-11T03:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/?page_id=763"},"modified":"2021-01-20T02:19:54","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T02:19:54","slug":"health-and-wealth-its-all-in-your-mind-the-power-of-positive-thinking","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/?page_id=763","title":{"rendered":"Health and Wealth — It\u2019s All in Your Mind The Power of Positive Thinking"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Health and Wealth - It\u2019s All in Your Mind\n(The Power of Positive Thinking)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Growing up, like most kids, I didn\u2019t have a true appreciation for those who exhibited positive attitudes.\u00a0 When my parents would tell me to stay positive and look for silver linings when disappointing situations outside of my control arose, I thought it was simply a well-mannered attempt to try to stop me from complaining.\u00a0 However, as I got older, not only did I start to truly value the benefits of a positive mindset, but I became intrigued when I heard stories about people who achieved amazing accomplishments and attributed their success to positive thinking.\u00a0 While the majority of the population believes there\u2019s a link between positivity, productivity, sense of fulfillment, and overall happiness, there\u2019s also scientific evidence that suggests our imaginations and actions are intertwined.<\/p>

What types of people would you prefer to spend your time with?\u00a0 Do you tend to gravitate toward folks who are typically in good moods and have a positive outlook on life or do you find yourself drifting to those who always have something negative to say about another person, their job, or the world in general?\u00a0 I\u2019m willing to wager that the majority of the population would prefer to be around those who emit some form of positive energy whether it\u2019s through a thoughtful conversation, a kind act, or simply a smile.\u00a0<\/p>

Think back to who was voted Mr. or Miss Popularity back when you were in high school, or who was known as the \u201clife of the party\u201d at social gatherings.\u00a0 These folks typically have characteristics that can be described as friendly, fun, outgoing, and welcoming.\u00a0 They undoubtedly possessed the ability of holding a conversation with anyone.\u00a0 I can\u2019t recall a time where I\u2019ve witnessed or even heard about the \u201clife of the party\u201d being a grumpster who sat around complaining, insulting and belittling others, or had a \u201cwho cares\u201d attitude.<\/p>

Personally, not only do I find being around people with positive mind patterns to be enjoyable, but also refreshing and motivating when I feel the negativity of others closing in around me.\u00a0 One of the most positive people I ever met was a groundskeeper at the college I attended in Pittsburgh.\u00a0 He was always smiling, greeting students on their way to class, and wishing everyone a great day.\u00a0 Even when breaking his back shoveling extremely heavy snow from the walkways while icy precipitation was still coming down, he would always pause to greet the nearby students with a genuine smile on his face.\u00a0 The students nicknamed him \u201cHappy.\u201d \u00a0When arriving on campus or transitioning between classes, students would scan the landscape in hopes he was around.\u00a0 However, there were some students hellbent on having a crappy day everyday and would make snide comments about him.\u00a0 Once I witnessed this type of behavior, I steered clear of these individuals whenever I could.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Unfortunately, negativity in the workplace can be a bit harder to avoid as you don\u2019t always get a choice of who you work with.\u00a0 There are some people who made up their minds long ago to think along the negative end of the spectrum.\u00a0 At other times, the work environment itself can promote thought and behavior migration from positive to negative.\u00a0 A workplace that sustains elevated levels of internal politics, favoritism, backstabbing, credit thievery, and criticism (to name a few) can be detrimental to the longevity of the organization, but also the mental health of its employees.<\/p>

Back in my retail days, I worked with an individual whose actions were absolutely draining.\u00a0 Everyone was out to get her at all times.\u00a0 Whenever something went wrong, even if it was trivial, someone in the store was going to pin it on her because no one could see passed their jealousy of her.\u00a0 She spent a large portion of her shift creating non-existent problems between associates in an attempt to sway folks to support her egotistical agenda.\u00a0 It was a relief when our schedules didn\u2019t overlap, but even then, the toxicity of the turmoil she created the day before was still actively breaking down the harmony and productivity of the store.<\/p>

It\u2019s my belief that all of us want<\/u> to live our lives with positive thoughts leading our mind patterns, but it can be difficult as life appears to be full of less than desirable detours.\u00a0 Those who appear to be the happiest and most successful are those who genuinely see silver linings in less than optimal situations.\u00a0 It\u2019s for this reason we are drawn to stories where against all odds, people stayed positive, never gave up, and ultimately achieved their dreams.\u00a0 \u00a0You hear about these stories spanning all walks of life from the \u201cnever say die\u201d positivity and perseverance of sports stars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to medical patients who learn to walk again in spite of their doctor\u2019s cynical diagnosis.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\u201cThe positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.\u201d \u2013 Winston Churchill<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Many folks know the story of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb.\u00a0 It is said that Edison experimented with thousands of different filaments for the light bulb.\u00a0 Just imagine if after a couple thousand attempts (or even a couple hundred attempts) Edison said, \u201cforget it, I\u2019ll never get this to work.\u201d\u00a0 Instead, Edison described his work with the following statement: \u201cI have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.\u201d<\/p>

A lesser known success story<\/a> of positivity is that of Walt Disney.\u00a0 At a young age, Walt Disney was told by his boss that he lacked creativity and was fired from his job at a local newspaper.\u00a0 At the age of 21, Disney and artist Ub Iwerks started a small animation business which later had to file for bankruptcy.\u00a0 Disney was barely scraping by to pay his bills and ate dog food to survive.\u00a0 Essentially spending his last dollar, he relocated to Hollywood in hopes to make his dreams come true.\u00a0 He experienced rejection after rejection being told that Mickey Mouse would never amount to anything.\u00a0 Yet, Disney remained positive and persevered in his passion.\u00a0 Today, the Disney name is known worldwide and currently owns such brands as The Muppets, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, Hulu, Pixar, ABC, ESPN, and 21st<\/sup> Century Fox.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Refusing to allow negative thoughts to control your mind can greatly impact the success you experience in your career, but it\u2019s even more important to avoid negativity for your overall long-term health.  Negativity creates stress in the human body and it can manifest in many different ways.  Periods of extended negativity have been known to accelerate the deterioration of the human body.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 health hazards<\/a> that are tied directly to stress:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Heart disease (high blood pressure, heart attacks).<\/li>\n
  2. Depression and anxiety.<\/li>\n
  3. Gastrointestinal problems.<\/li>\n
  4. Obesity.<\/li>\n
  5. Headaches (stress is considered the most common trigger for headaches and migraines).<\/li>\n
  6. Diabetes (stress promotes unhealthy eating, drinking, and raises glucose levels).<\/li>\n
  7. Asthma (studies have shown stress can make it worse).<\/li>\n
  8. Alzheimer\u2019s Disease (studies have shown stress can make it worse).<\/li>\n
  9. Accelerated aging (see the images of Lincoln and Bush below\u2026 the start of their 4-year-term [left], the end of their term [right]).<\/li>\n
  10. Premature death.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Some believe in the concept of self-fulfilling prophecies where if you firmly believe something is going to happen (like getting a promotion at work) and you put forth the effort and positive energy, it will become a reality.\u00a0 Likewise, the opposite is believed as well.\u00a0 If you are certain a job offer is going to be awarded to another individual and there is little to no effort on your part to redirect the spotlight to your qualifications, then that will become the reality.<\/p>

    Along the same lines as a self-fulfilling prophecy, there are others who see this topic from more of a cosmic perspective involving infinite realities.\u00a0 These realities could be drastically different from your current reality such as you being a millionaire or an Olympic gold medalist.\u00a0 These realities could also be differentiated by the smallest of details where your day today was exactly the same, except you wore black shoes instead of brown shoes.\u00a0 The idea here is that your thoughts are projected out into the universe and manifest into your physical reality.\u00a0 So, in essence, by focusing on your goal, you are transitioning yourself out of your current reality and into a reality where your goal will be achieved.\u00a0 <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    While these are interesting theories, you might be wondering what type of scientific evidence exists to support claims that someone can change his or her life by simply imagining a particular outcome.\u00a0 There was some intriguing evidence discovered in a study<\/a> conducted by Pascual-Leone (researcher at the National Institutes of Health) where two groups of people practiced playing the piano for two hours each day.\u00a0 One group actually sat at a piano and played the keys.\u00a0 The other group sat at the piano but couldn\u2019t touch the keys.\u00a0 They could only imagine playing the appropriate keys.\u00a0 After three days of practicing, both groups played at the same exact level of accuracy.\u00a0 It turns out that from a neuroscientific perspective, imagining an action and performing an action stimulate the same neural pathways.<\/p>

    Dr. Theo Mulder from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences stated in a publication<\/a> on motor imagery and observable action that, \u201cin the brain, imagination is not separate from action and perception.\u201d\u00a0 This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase \u201cimagine yourself being successful!\u201d<\/p>

    A number of other studies<\/a> have revealed that positivity can help open minds to more possibilities and creativity, increase resiliency and ability to tolerate pain, prevent hypertension, strengthen the immune system, improve cognitive functioning, and battle depression.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t
    \u201cThe greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.\u201d \u2013 Oprah Winfrey<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    So, what are some strategies that you can start implementing today to become a more positive person?\u00a0 Here are 12 solid tactics:<\/p>

    1. Stay informed but don\u2019t watch the news (it\u2019s a barrage of negativity 24\/7).<\/li>
    2. Surround yourself with positive people.<\/li>
    3. Surround yourself with laughter (better to laugh than cry).<\/li>
    4. Be helpful \/ show kindness to others.<\/li>
    5. Show gratitude (it\u2019s tough to be stressed out when sincerely thanking someone).<\/li>
    6. Look for genuine silver linings in less than optimal situations.<\/li>
    7. Ask others to call you out when you\u2019re displaying negativity.<\/li>
    8. Smile.<\/li>
    9. Eat healthy (clearer mind, helps control weight, and higher energy levels).<\/li>
    10. Exercise.<\/li>
    11. Relaxation and meditation.<\/li>
    12. Get enough sleep.<\/li><\/ol>

      By no means is this an exhaustive list of behaviors to enhance your level of positivity.\u00a0 There are many non-traditional approaches as well such as creating and living your own personal mantra or listening to music at the 432Hz frequency which some believe to provide deep healing of the body and soul along with raising positive energy.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter what strategy you employ.\u00a0 What\u2019s ultimately important is that the strategy works for you.<\/p>

      Negativity is a very destructive force.\u00a0 It can significantly deteriorate your personal and professional relationships, extinguish your motivation to achieve your goals, degrade your physical and mental health, and diminish your overall capacity to enjoy life.\u00a0 It can take a lot of focused work to train your brain to interpret the world in a positive light, but once you establish this ability to the point where it occurs naturally, the benefits can be profound.\u00a0 If you want to live a better life, start by imagining a better life, believing in a better life, and finally align your behaviors and actions to make that better life a reality.<\/p>

      Date Published:\u00a0 8\/11\/2020<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Health and Wealth – It\u2019s All in Your Mind (The Power of Positive Thinking) Growing up, like most kids, I didn\u2019t have a true appreciation for those who exhibited positive attitudes.\u00a0 When my parents would tell me to stay positive and look for silver linings when disappointing situations outside of my control arose, I thought […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":32,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-763","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=763"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1002,"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/763\/revisions\/1002"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/32"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/granttriffo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}