When Michael Phelps walks through a doorway, he says a positive affirmation.
Michelle Obama recites one question and answer to herself as part of her daily mantra. “Am I good enough? Yes.”
Jennifer Lopez accredits her 15-minute daily practice of affirmations to her success.
Maya Angelou’s daily affirmation? “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”
These aren’t just cherry-picked stories of success that trend to the stars and icons of our time. There’s science behind the power of positive thinking—and we’re going to dig into why your mindset matters on your road to success.
The science behind positive thinking
“Just be positive.”
You’ve likely heard this at one point or another from a friend, a colleague, a loved one, or even in your own self-talk.
Truth is, it’s not as easy as flipping a switch in your brain from negative to positive. It takes intentional practice, awareness, and training—almost like you would for any other muscle in your body.
Before we get into the ways you can cultivate positive thinking and train your brain to be more positive, let’s dig into the science.
Better physical health benefits
According to Johns Hopkins, positive thinking physical health benefits, especially when we look at the relation between cardiovascular events. People with a family history of heart disease who also had a positive outlook were one-third less likely to have a heart attack or other cardiovascular event within five to 25 years than those with a more negative perspective.
Increased emotional and mental health benefits
One study found that positive ideation and positive thinking led to decreased worry, anxiety, and negative thinking. Research also cites benefits like reduced stress, lower rates of depression, and better resilience and coping skills in the face of adversity.
Repetition matters
Across the science, we know that training your brain to be more positive has one common denominator: repetition.
In order to cultivate a positive mindset, it has to sustain itself. Like any other good muscle or mindset, this means that repetition matters. Practicing and training your brain to be more positive isn’t a one-time endeavor. We’ll go into some techniques to help train your brain to be more positive.
4 techniques to train your brain to be more positive
1. Practice gratitude
A daily of weekly gratitude journal can help keep you on track and bring an awareness to the positive aspects of your life.
We also know that a gratitude practice has scientific health benefits, from increased resilience and well-being to increased happiness, life satisfaction, and deeper and more meaningful relationships.
Action to take: Start by trying to write down three things you’re grateful for each day. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. It can be small, like the clean water you get from your tap. It can be big, like your family and loved ones.
2. Visualize positive outcomes
Visualization has powerful outcomes but this technique is one that requires focus, positive intent, and some level of self-awareness. But visualization doesn’t have to be grand or big, either. Action to take: Think about some of the challenges you’re facing in your life. Now, what if you visualized the positive outcomes?
Let’s say that you’re struggling to find a new job. Start by taking five minutes to think about what receiving an offer letter feels like or what your first day at your new job would bring to your life.
3. Engage in mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness and meditation reduces stress, helps better regulate your emotions, and increases focus and concentration.
Some might be deterred from meditation because of the time commitment or fear of failure. It’s OK to be imperfect and let your mind wander. Try to go into the idea of mindfulness and meditation with a growth mindset. You’re allowed to not do things perfectly—and you’ll likely learn that with time and practice, your focus and mindfulness will only increase.
Action to take: Start with just one minute. Perhaps look for a guided meditation on YouTube or another mindfulness app, like Calm. You might also consider using mindfulness cards.
As you begin to build out your practice, try increasing the amount of time. Soon, you’ll find you might be able to increase to five-minute meditations.
4. Commit to a schedule
No matter what, repetition matters. Like any good habit, you need to find consistency and a routine in order to train your brain to be more positive.
You might find that one technique works better for you than another—and that’s OK. For example, you might find that a walking meditation works best and you need to move your body and focus your mind at the same time. Perhaps the first five minutes of your morning walk are silent and focused on mindfulness, and you commit to walking at least three days a week.
Or you might find that journaling is your best outlet to cultivate a positive mindset. A gratitude journal also helps foster reflection. Perhaps you commit to writing just for 10 minutes every evening before you go to bed instead of scrolling social media.
Action to take: Reflect on what works for you—and stick with it. Give it a fair shot. If you miss a day or need to a cut a technique short because of time, that’s OK. It’s OK to start over and it’s OK to not be perfect. The important part is the resilience you’ll foster in maintaining the habit.
Consider finding an accountability buddy who might be in the same boat. For example, can your best friend text you every week and ask how your journaling practice is going? Perhaps your partner or loved one can make sure you have 10 minutes in the morning for meaningful meditation.
No matter where you are in your positive thinking journey, you have to believe in yourself and your future. With the right tools, resources, and support system, you can start training your brain to be more positive.
Remember: one step and one day at a time. You’ve got this.
Written by Madeline Miles
