You've probably heard the expression: "It's not what you're eating. It's what's eating you!" This well-known saying reminds us that the thoughts we entertain can have an impact on our health.
Scientists have discovered that what you're thinking actually affects your physical health as well as your emotional well-being. Ulcers, indigestion, nervousness, high blood pressure and a wide variety of diseases can result from an injured immune system brought on by harmful thought patterns.
There are thoughts that heal and thoughts that hurt.
If you read this article through to the end, you will discover an effective tool to enhance your emotional and physical health.
Here are five keys to emotional well-being:
1. Emotions tag right along behind your thoughts, so guard your mind carefully.
Your emotions can't tell if what you're thinking about is really happening or if it's just an image in your head.
Prove this to yourself by thinking back to when you watched a terrifying scene on television on in a movie. Even though you knew what you were watching wasn't actually happening, you were still scared - weren't you?
Here's something to consider. About ten minutes after you start to dwell on something, corresponding emotions will follow.
We are what we eat - both physically and mentally. Pay close attention to what you're feeding your mind. The books, television, movies, newspapers and even the jokes we hear enter into our lives and become part of us.
So what's eating you? Examine what you're feeling and then ask yourself this question, "What have I been thinking about recently?"
If you have a garbage can for a head, life will look like garbage to you.
2. Learn to develop a cheerful attitude toward life.
Life can be painful, but it's possible to overcome.
Choose to behave in a cheerful way as much as possible even if you don't feel like it. You may be surprised at what happens. Cheerfulness is contagious.
A positive attitude toward life may help ward off sicknesses. Psychology Professor Sheldon Cohen (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh) found that relaxed, happy people are less prone to catch colds than unhappy, anxious people.
3. Deal with stress as an opportunity to grow.
Stress can be a killer.
People who go through stressful events seem to get sicker more often than those who have less problems confronting them. But some people thrive on stress. This tends to show that the problem is not stress, but how we deal with it.
When we experience times of anxiety and fear, our brains release hormones as part of the fight-flight syndrone to prepare us for dangerous situations. When the body receives too many of these "danger" messages from our brains, our disease-resistance systems are weakened.
Stressful situations seem to cause increased illnesses in those who consider themselves to be victims and who react with anxiety and frustration.
Others see stressful situations as opportunities to overcome. So why not choose this positive approach yourself?
4. Make the right friends.
Select people who are cheerful instead of depressed for the majority of your friends.
Emotions can be transferred almost by osmosis. Retired baseball Coach, John Scolinos (from California Polytechnic College, Pomona), used to tell his winning baseball players, "Show me who you're with and I'll tell you who you are."
We need a positive social life that includes friends, close family members, churches and members of organizations.
Those who have satisfying social lives enjoy improved resistance to illness.
5. Let wisdom from the world's greatest book be your guide.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).
"All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:15 NASV).
Want to jump-start your emotional health? Stop letting what's eating you hurt you and begin to enjoy life in a brand new way.
Copyright © 2004 by Patricia Wagner
Publishing Guidelines: Feel free to use this article in your newsletter or on your website as long as the author's resource box, bylines and copyright are included. Please make sure links within article and bylines are live and clickable. To request an HTML version - just send an email to wagner.art@verizon.net. If you use this article, please send a brief message stating where it appeared. A courtesy copy would also be appreciated. THANKS.
Author Photo: http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com/Images/PWagner.jpg
Receive new articles: http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com/article-updates.htm Other
Available Articles by Patricia Wagner http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com/wagner-articles.htm
About The Author
Patricia Wagner offers informative tips on living a more energetic lifestyle at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com. She is also an artist and you can view her paintings at http://www.artbywagner.com.
It's four weeks away and you don't have any plans.... Read More
January is the king of months for those looking to... Read More
Ever since the Internet bubble and the 9/11 terrorist attacks,... Read More
Preparation: If you desire advertising the group, announcements need to... Read More
For adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), details are a... Read More
A positive attitude may bring good health and success. If... Read More
Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others,... Read More
Most of us play many different roles in the course... Read More
Laughter may or may not be a shock, relieved, but... Read More
So you want to hire a coach but with so... Read More
Coaching is a hot trend at a growing number of... Read More
This article is for those of you who coach or... Read More
Most people admire and respect strong individuals, who have won... Read More
More and more people have less and less time, but... Read More
Every one of us have dreams, desires and goals that... Read More
MOVING THROUGH CHANGECreating any major change in our lives can... Read More
Taking control of your life is getting in touch with... Read More
My sister is a woman now beginning her thirties. She... Read More
Ellen was brought up to be invisible. She was taught... Read More
One of the most often mis-understood aspects of self-development is... Read More
None of us like to think of ourselves as victims.... Read More
Ever been in a situation where it seems like minor... Read More
Coaching is an effective process used to support individuals in... Read More
Settling is about not embracing what is best for you,... Read More
An Age-Old QuestionSearching for more meaning in our lives has... Read More
Recently at a Pharmaceutical meeting in Europe, one of the... Read More
An awful lot of fantastic coaching has been coming out... Read More
You, like many others, may have come to this article... Read More
Of the 60,000 people who lived to be over 100... Read More
Joey rises before dawn to pack his lunch, eager for... Read More
Okay, you have read some books on body language and... Read More
During a recent coaching session with Mark, I was briefly... Read More
"I can't wait!" she exclaimed over the phone. The anticipation... Read More
Preparation: If you desire advertising the group, announcements need to... Read More
Life is all about choices. And so is the way... Read More
In the Charles Dickens classic, "The Christmas Story", Scrooge is... Read More
I don't know many people who would admit to wanting... Read More
I have a few questions for you ---What if we... Read More
Dogs distrust hot air balloons. I gathered this tidbit as... Read More
Imagine for a moment one of those nights when you... Read More
Do you ever find that when a friend asks for... Read More
"Nothing is more practical than for people to deepen themselves.... Read More
Have you ever noticed that so many of us who... Read More
"There is a certain combination of desire and discipline in... Read More
Recently, I saw an exhibition of paintings by a very... Read More
In this discussion, we talk about Coaching Skills with Phil... Read More
It's four weeks away and you don't have any plans.... Read More
"There is a time for departure, even when there's no... Read More
Life coaching has become fashionable in recent years and there... Read More
Being a lifelong student, I am regularly attending seminars etc.... Read More
1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are NotDo yourself... Read More
"The meaning of life is that it stops." -Franz Kafka... Read More
Personal missions statements (PMS) are just nothing but the winning... Read More
People of two opposing ideas can stir up arguments and... Read More
I'll never forget what my mentor told me: "Don't communicate... Read More
Signs of Self-ConfidenceLet's explore the meaning of self-confidence by taking... Read More
There are many parts that make up you.There's the Musical... Read More
At a time when the global economy is bringing innovation,... Read More
One of the mainstays of American culture is the "Great... Read More
Coaching is an effective process used to support individuals in... Read More
Last month I was invited to participate in a charity... Read More
Updating my will has been on my mind for quite... Read More
Did you hire a "life coach" to help you sort... Read More
What can I do to be a better coach? The... Read More
Have you ever noticed how the way you feel about... Read More
In today's fast paced world, we are often confronted with... Read More
Coaching |