We're all busy. We have very full lives filled with work (at the office or at home), kids, spouses / significant others, parents, etc. And once again it's so easy to get lost in all this busy-ness that we lose touch with our own physical, mental and emotional health. However, we came across a great article this week that once again reminds us that we have the power to manage our health beyond just eating well, exercising and taking our vitamins, but by also managing our approach to life, e.g. positive thinking.
There's a "growing body of research in psychology, medicine and public health" that "is demonstrating the health benefit of positive emotions and their effect on physical health."
Here's a quick cheat sheet but be sure the check out the full Huffington Post article.
Positive Thinking | Physical and Mental Benefits |
Optimism & Resilience | Improved heart health, immune function, longevity |
Moments of Awe | Reduced incidence of autoimmune, heart & Alzheimer's diseases & depression |
Compassion for Others | Improved cardiovascular & digestive health & emotional health |
Gratitude | Improved immune function, sleep quality, reduced stress & improved heart health |
Self-Compassion | Improved overall health |