Celebrate Positive Thinking Day with These 10 Quotes

We’ve all heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” Well, according to psychologists who study the power of positive thinking, you are what you think, too.

Every single person on this planet has had his or her fair share of challenges to endure. As moms, we often feel overwhelmed, downright exhausted, and fundamentally wiped out by the day-to-day requirements of raising a family. Add other unexpected challenges to the mix, and we can get caught in a never-ending downward spiral of doom and gloom.

When struggles occur, it’s easy to wallow in negative or pessimistic feelings and become discouraged. Yet, it’s a vicious cycle, as thinking pessimistic thoughts will likely lead to more depression and discouragement. Trust me, I’ve been there. I’m pretty sure we all have at some point in our lives.

If you’ve been feeling emotionally wiped out lately, there is no better day to reverse your thinking than today, which is International Positive Thinking Day. Founded in 2003 by psychologist Dr. Kirsten Harrell, Positive Thinking Day encourages people everywhere to “think positive” and reminds us that our attitude can directly affect the way we perceive the world.

 

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Plenty of research shows that positive thinking can affect not only our mental health, but our physical wellbeing and immunity as well. So if you’ve been seeing your glass as half empty instead of half full, today is the perfect day to reorder your thoughts and change your perspective. A great place to start is by reading positive affirmations for inspiration, so here a few of my favorites. Pick one or three, bookmark them, and read them to yourself when you’re feeling less than chipper. They just might be the boost you need to turn your frown upside down.

  1. “…for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — William Shakespeare
  1. “The mind is everything. What you think, you become.” — Buddha
  1. “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” — Helen Keller
  1. “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
  1. “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses. — Abraham Lincoln
  1. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”–Milton Berle
  1. “Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.” — Francesca Reigler
  1. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  1. “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” – Willie Nelson
  1. “The difference in winning and losing is most often…not quitting.” – Walt Disney

photo credits: Happy Mother’s Day via photopin (license) and smiley face stress ball via photopin (license)