| Does so-called "positive thinking" have any | | | | it. |
| real effect on a woman's mental health and | | | | |
| physical health? Can a change in your | | | | Thought is the fount of action, life and |
| thinking actually change your health? The | | | | manifestations; make the fountain pure, and |
| answer is yes, according to a scientific | | | | all will be pure. |
| study at the University of Pennsylvania. | | | | |
| | | | If you would perfect your body, guard your |
| The study found that those who responded | | | | mind. If you would renew your body, beautify |
| optimistically to adversity lived longer | | | | your mind. |
| those who responded pessimistically to | | | | |
| adversity. | | | | As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome home |
| | | | unless you admit the air and sunshine freely |
| Adversity and stress visit us all on a | | | | into your rooms, so a strong body and a |
| regular basis. A quick test of your own | | | | bright, happy, or serene face can only result |
| current state of optimism is the reaction you | | | | from the free admittance into the mind of |
| have when reading the above paragraphs. Some | | | | thoughts of joy and good will and serenity. |
| people gain hope and confidence from the | | | | |
| news. Others feel helpless and shake their | | | | There is no physician like cheerful thought |
| heads while muttering something negative. We | | | | for dissipating the ills of the body; there |
| all see both reactions in life and | | | | is no comforter to compare with good will for |
| unfortunately the negative thinking seems to | | | | dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. |
| be more common. | | | | To live continually in thoughts of ill will, |
| | | | cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be |
| Parade magazine reports that in a recent | | | | confined in a self-made prison. But to think |
| survey, 250,000 women said the number one | | | | well of all, to be cheerful with all, to |
| problem they face every day is stress. One | | | | patiently learn to find the good in all |
| way to face stressful challenges and overcome | | | | --such unselfish thoughts are the very |
| them is to think optimistic thoughts about | | | | portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in |
| how you plan to rise above the situation and | | | | thoughts of peace toward every creature will |
| solve the problem. Imagine yourself | | | | bring abounding peace to their possessor." |
| victorious. | | | | |
| | | | What makes a healthy personality? According |
| Some women say "But I don't have any | | | | to Emerson, "An individual has a healthy |
| imagination." Sure you do. Every time you | | | | personality to the exact degree to which they |
| worry about something that doesn't happen you | | | | have the propensity to look for the good in |
| have imagined the worst. You are using your | | | | every situation." |
| imagination to visualize your worries. Use | | | | |
| this same process but imagine the best and | | | | Try that for one day. Look for the good in |
| visualize things going right instead of | | | | every situation. Find the silver lining in |
| things going wrong. | | | | every cloud. See if you don't have a better |
| | | | day than usual. |
| As You Think, So Shall You Become | | | | |
| | | | When you meet up with someone who is thinking |
| Author James Allen wrote the following poetic | | | | negative, remember this little joke and |
| advice over 100 years ago: | | | | smile: When a grouch was given this advice he |
| | | | said, "I was going to try positive thinking |
| "Strong, pure and happy thoughts build up the | | | | once... but then I figured what the heck is |
| body in vigor and grace. The body is a | | | | the use in trying." |
| delicate and pliable instrument, which | | | | |
| responds readily to the thoughts by which it | | | | Look for the good in every situation today |
| is impressed, and habits of thought will | | | | and keep smiling. |
| produce their own effects, good or bad, upon | | | | |