What would you feel if someone were to tell you that you had a very negative outlook on life? I would suspect you would feel a touch put out and get slightly defensive. It’s very possible that if you described yourself, negative would not be front of mind. An example that comes to mind in the trending topics of today are the Harry and Megan’s of the world.
Negativity is an incredibly draining quality. It is also very unattractive. However, the thoughts you emit creates the energy that comes back at you. In some cultures this is referred to as Karma. The universe repays you with the energy that you put out.
Some people are quite good at thinking their negative thoughts and keeping them to themselves, however, you might fool other people but you simply can’t fool the universe.
Science recognises thoughts as mental representations, as an idea, a memory, an image or unuttered speech. When we make mental representations our brain actively creates responding neurons. For every mental representation we make the stock of brain neurons increase. If our mental representations are predominantly negative then we will make lots of neurons that reflect this. This is problematic for brain health because it results in fear, anxiety, panic, paranoia, victim mentality, feelings of being unloved, unworthy. Negativity can rob you of self esteem, strip away your confidence and ultimately put you into states of deep sadness, depression and ultimately clinical depression.
Being negative, or having a negative mindset is therefore quite injurious to our mental health and where mental health is impacted negatively, it is possible physical health will become poor and the body after a time will begin to adopt states of disease or disease conditions can be made worse. Heart conditions and Diabetes are just two illnesses that can be exacerbated by a mind that tends towards negative thoughts.
I often hear people who groan when someone tries to advocate positive thinking but the fact is the very nature of the brain is that it tends towards being lazy. The brain thinks it is protecting you, but in fact what it is actually doing is making you lazy. Positive thought unlike negative thought takes effort. The brain has a tendency to edge in this direction because it finds it easier than being actively proactive. You have to actively think positively and the brain won’t do that naturally. It will only respond to an overriding command to take a positive outlook and create positive thoughts. It is a similar process in neural network construction.
The more we actively think positively, the more positive mental representation neurons are created. If we get to a point in our efforts where more positive mindset neurons exist over negative mindset neurons that’s when our thinking automatically changes form negative to positive.
Positivity is infectious and very attractive. It can be inspiring and when we see it in others we aspire to be like them, but the thing to realise about these people is that there will have been years and much work that has got them to the stage they are at in this moment. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t try or that you should give up. These people look like they have the world at their feet. Their confidence is sky high and they are attracting riches and good health and success.
They prove the karmic model. The first step in changing your life is to recognise the direction of your mindset. I know of life coaches who bark instructions that sound more like they are judging or being critical when actually the process of change has to follow a procedure, that takes guidance and time to master. There is a lot of inner work, involving reflection, letting go, forgiving. Forming habits that harbour natural negative pathways have to be broken down towards a direction that starts you moving towards positivity.
Coping mechanisms, resilience work, perceptual change has to be nurtured and strengthened in order to develop a positive mindset. As that happens, the world begins to change. Sometimes, during this time facing your fears, acknowledging your negative outlook and actively establishing neural connections, becomes a task of daily routines. All the while your brain will be telling you its not necessary, and you have to over ride this.
If you are someone who can understand what this blog is talking about and wants to explore what you might be capable of accomplishing then get in touch with Shehnaz at enquiries@thefeelgoodcentre.co.uk to see how we can help.
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