Friends of ASCCA: Windsor Shares About Positive Thinking

September 13th is Positive Thinking Day, but you don’t have to limit your positive thinking to just one day. At Camp ASCCA, positivity can be seen everywhere. Every activity you go to at camp, the staff, counselors, and fellow campers are cheering and helping one another—not just campers, but other counselors as well. Also, on the day you arrive at camp, the staff is positive that you will have a fun time being there, and you can’t help catching that positivity and feeling that way yourself.

Positive Thinking Day was started in 2003 by an American entrepreneur to highlight the importance of positive thinking for happiness and good mental and physical health. Dr. Kristen Harrell is a psychologist who started a foundation geared to curing spinal cord injuries. But that’s not all. She discovered the power of positivity herself while dealing with chronic pain and wanted to share what she learned with others.

It all starts with your brain. The left side of the brain is responsible for expressing positivity and good energy. Positive thinking affects the prefrontal cortex. It lowers the chances of cortisol, a stress hormone, from happening and makes you more aware of your thought process. Being positive also reduces your chances of getting sick because it boosts your immune system in many ways.

Positive thinking can improve decision-making and social interactions. A positive attitude tends to uplift those around you and creates a comfortable atmosphere around you. People just naturally want to be around someone who has a positive outlook. When a person keeps a positive outlook, he or she can bounce back from setbacks and challenges more quickly and effectively. It is amazing what positivity can actually do to our bodies and life as a whole.

There are many ways to be positive all year round, not just on Positive Thinking Day alone. One of them is to make a list every day of five things you are thankful for. Then make a list of what you love about your job and what you are looking forward to. Also, you can step outside to expose yourself to the sun for ten minutes. The sun produces Vitamin D, which is good for you and makes you feel happy.

Being active is another way to be positive. Physical activity can stimulate many brain chemicals that leave you feeling positive as well as more relaxed and less anxious. Staying active not only helps you feel happy but also keeps your blood pressure down. It also increases heart and lung health as well as elevates mood. It is always best to have a healthy positive mindset on everything.

Since positive thinking has been studied for years, there are some really good books about positivity. Some of them are The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent, Banish Your Inner Critic by Denise Jacobs, and Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. All of them display how positive thinking affects us in a healthy way.

Basically, positivity is very contagious, so spread it around!