The importance of positive thoughts

Research studies have identified that an increase in life stress is associated with both emotional and behavioural problems among school children. They identify negative automatic thought as one of the major pathways to this problem rather than dysfunctional attitudes or maladaptive emotion regulation itself. Often, parents and teachers are the best resources to find the root cause of many problems and help children take precautions and preventive measures. To advance the qualities of student life, parents and teachers need to provide them with positive thoughts.

Very often, students are confined to a few thoughts. The immeasurable potential and the infinite possibilities of thought is a gift to every individual. It can be actualised only when students have a synchrony between what they want and what they believe they want. If only what students want and what they believe they want are the same, they have the mastery over thoughts. They can eliminate what they don’t want if only they know what they really need. Every time they get upset or feel like a victim, it is an indicator that they just have not learned the best way of thinking.

Long-term effects
Constant negative life experiences and growing in negative family situations can cause the formation of negative automatic thoughts, if one is not designed with positive ones. Negative automatic thought is the dysfunctional perception of self, world and others. Students can be trained to identify, assess and challenge thoughts that occur during unpleasant feelings or situations and after. Most negative automatic thoughts are built over time and supported by many significant individuals and experiences. These automatic thoughts may originate from early experiences of life. Automatic thoughts are usually transmitted by teachers, parents and created by significant life experiences. As time passes by, they become real and part of life, impacting the wellbeing of the student life.

Similarly, consciously choosing positive thoughts too can be part of student life. Every thought of a student is an affirmation, whether negative or positive.

Therefore, understanding automatic thoughts can help students find out about the nature of their thinking style. Negative automatic thoughts or complaining affirmations always work because the mind mostly works that way. The ways students choose to think make a difference in their life; hence they need to choose their thinking. Choosing to think positive can help students be positive and improve the quality of their life. Yet, most of the times, students believe the chaos and turmoil in their life is created by parents and teachers. Hence, students need to know they are responsible for all their emotional problems and have the solutions with them too. Here is how students can choose their thinking wisely.

Study: Generally, students’ thoughts regarding studies will determine their academic achievements. If they think studies to be a burden, they feel anxious. On the other hand, when learning is thought to be easier, they feel happy, relaxed and enjoy studying. Then learning becomes a happier experience. Using positive affirmations can create a positive atmosphere for learning. By observing students’ pattern of affirmation, we see that often, their thoughts are about what they ‘don’t want’, not indicating what they want in life. When using affirmations, it’s important to think and talk what students wish about their studies. Following affirmations can be used to enjoy learning: I love and appreciate my study, I like learning, I can study well, I love my school, teachers and friends, and I am good at learning.

Health: Good health is a mirror of good thoughts. Think happy thoughts and your cells functions better. Every cell of your body listens to your thinking. More the negative thinking, greater the stress and release of cortisol to blood stream, which in return increases the amount of stress in life. Following affirmations can improve your health — All is well, everything is good, I enjoy my food, I respect my life, I care about my body, perfect health is my divine gift and I claim it.

Relationship: Student mind is good at taking in every word it hears and making them as part of self-talk. If students are afraid of failure, they should be helped to filter their thoughts. Creating awareness of the thought and spending time to ask oneself “What is my feeling and what is the thought associated with it” can help change negative thoughts and fears to positive ones. Students should be able to decide what they want to think.

Just by becoming aware of what one thinks and simply knowing whether thoughts are positive or negative can make a difference in the lives of students. Awareness of thinking can help students identify what it is that they are worrying and anxious about. This awareness will take the students to higher consciousness. Selecting positive affirmations can help students in slowing down negative automatic thinking.

Thus, it is important to create a protective environment for students to be positive, because what they see and listen is what shapes their reality. Therefore, teachers and parents have to be extremely careful about what they feed into the minds of students.

Billions of neurons get connected through different experiences. Some neural connections become stronger and more efficient through repeated stimulation.

Students who hear and experience negative life situations may have stronger neural connections for negative automatic thoughts. Human brain has the capacity to create and stimulate positive thoughts through continuous practice of positive thinking. Communication between teachers and students are actually physically modifying students’ brain. Specific neurons and neurotransmitters trigger a defensive state when students feel that their thoughts have to be protected from the influence of others.

Our beliefs have a profound impact on our body chemistry. Therefore, choose your thoughts wisely.