Our slow but steady shift toward a more new-age way of thinking seems to be spreading as more and more discover the power of positive thinking.
All you have to do is look at The Secret to see that we're changing our way of thinking. And that's only the most recent success. Movies like What the Bleep Do We Know swept the country just as quickly, "waking up" thousands who felt their was something missing from their lives.
These publications are based on the Law of Attraction - the idea that what you desire is what the Universe will send your way. And now it seems that the power of our mind has yet another benefit: we can keep old age at bay.
According to a study by the Yale School of Public Health, how you "feel" about getting old has much to do with the aging process. The study asked people between the ages of 70 and 80 how they felt about aging. Those who used adjectives like senile, weak, tired, sad and the like tended to suffer from more age-related problems than those with a positive outlook.
This same thought process also showed to help patients recovering from heart attacks. Those that saw aging as a positive thing recovered faster and better than those who didn't.
Which brings us back to The Secret and its new-age counterparts. Do our thoughts really affect our reality? Is this some hocus pocus hype or can we change the way we live simply by changing the way we think?
Maybe so. Additional studies have shown that a positive attitude can assist with everything from losing weight to recovering from surgery. Want a sharper mind? Your "self-talk" can actually improve your memory.
An article at WebMD reports that optimism is actually a "resource for healing". Optimists it says, are more likely to overcome obstacles in their quest for improved health. "Your body responds to your thoughts, emotions, and actions," it says, suggesting that like the new-age wave that's sweeping the globe, we can actually "think" our way into better health and happiness.
So, what can you do to improve your outlook?
- Practice positive self-talk. Don't think "I can't". Instead think "I can".
- Reinforce your optimism with a continuous stream of positive affirmations. "Think" as if you are already enjoying the good health you seek and your body will respond accordingly.
- We all slip now and then. Don't beat yourself up for it. Instead, acknowledge the slip but then, move on and get back on track.
To read more on the study, visit Anne Kreamer's post at Yahoo! Health.
