Cindi J. Martin, LCSW
Some people consider themselves optimists and others see themselves as pessimists. Perhaps you see yourself as a realist – someone who can see when the cup is half full and half empty depending upon the need. Who do you think has a better grasp on reality?
Does Positive Thinking Really Work?
I have come to see that positive thinking alone does not serve long-term mental health. Truth is the bedrock of health, both mental and physical. Positive and negative honesty in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors about God, ourselves, and others is what heals us from destructive negativity and sets us free to experience joy in the midst of sorrow. Honesty that reflects reality, not an imaginative fantasy distinguishes between health and illness.
Q - Where does negativity come from?
A - The Bible teaches that our human ancestors chose to know both good and evil instead of staying with the pure goodness of God alone. In that moment, everything on our planet changed to reflect a distortion of God’s highest intention for creation. It was as if a permanent defect was stamped in our DNA. Now humans were capable of evil as well as good. Is this perhaps the source of what neuropsychologists say is the human tendency to dwell on the negative?
Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson tells us that, “our brains are wired toward the negative. For example, if we have ten experiences during the day, five neutral everyday experiences, four positive experiences, and one negative experience, we are probably going to think about that one negative experience before going to bed that night.”
Since both Scripture and modern neuroscience report that our brains are hard-wired for the negative, hard mental work is required to install or hardwire the positive into our brains for balance and well-being.
Learning the practice of self-examination so that we can be honest with ourselves in our thinking, emotions, intentions, and actions – whether positive or negative – is the first step toward wholeness.
The Bible is far from a collection of simple positive self-help books. It is full of the good, the bad, and the ugly about human beings as it relates stories of how we relate to our Creator, ourselves, one another, and the natural world. It is full of hope and transformation but not without an honest look at ourselves.
One of the things I love most about Scripture is that it has not been redacted to paint everyone in a one-dimensional light, whether positive or negative. In other words, it reflects reality. Truth and honesty whether positive or negative is a triumphant theme.
Still, there is a very good reason that both the Old and New Testament Scriptures also emphasize worship, adoration, gratitude, praise, and steering our minds toward dwelling on what is good and worthy of praise. So this begs the question, “How do we focus on the good?
According to Psychologist Deann Ware, Ph.Dl, “When brain cells communicate frequently, the connection between them strengthens and ‘the messages that travel the same pathway in the brain over and over begin to transmit faster and faster.’ With enough repetition, these behaviors become automatic. Reading, driving, and riding a bike are examples of complicated behaviors that we do automatically because neural pathways have formed.”
Q. - Why does it take so long to learn more positive ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.?
A.- Dr. Ware reminds us that “In terms of repetition, it is estimated that it takes 10,000 repetitions to master a skill and develop the associated neural pathway…It is estimated that it takes 3-6 months for a new behavior to become a habit though this estimate varies by person.”
Q. - What are some practical ways to strengthen positive neural pathways in the brain:?
A.- Here are three tips:
1. Re-Focus - No matter how small, focus on something positive that you honestly find good for 20-30 seconds. Use your mind (thoughts), heart (feelings, understanding, and beliefs), and body (all your physical senses–smell, sound, taste, touch) – to fully absorb and store this goodness into your whole being – including the long-term brain and body memory banks.
For example, when you take a walk and see beautiful flowers or birds, don’t simply superficially notice them.
2. Breathe and Use Your Senses - Take a moment to stop, literally take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
What do you smell, what kind of sensations do you notice in your body? What about sound? Are there birds, cars, or other sounds around? If there is a fruit tree, can you imagine the taste of the fruit? Can you imagine the smell of a rose?
3. Sing and Smile - Smiling when singing praise songs (and dancing if you dare) are also wonderful ways to bring together positive thoughts, feelings, and behavior into an experience that imbeds into our long-term brain and body memory.
When we smile, sing, and dance, we must breathe more robustly - inhaling and exhaling rhythmically. Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the most important ways to regulate our nervous system. Breathing is an instant stress reliever available to every human being immediately.
And no wonder breath is so vital for creating and sustaining a healthy life – the Hebrew word for Breath – Ruach –is the exact same word – the very definition of the Spirit of God in Genesis 1. Selah!
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