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