Healing Power of Positive Thoughts

"How we construct personal narratives has a major impact on our mental well being." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

It's more than just looking at the bright side; it's how we tell our life stories.  In research studies, people were asked to tell their life stories, and the stories were evaluated along themes of agency:  were the people able to influence the events in their lives, communion:  are the people connected or disconnected from others, redemption:  did the people find good in negative experiences, and contamination:  did the people tell narratives of good things turning bad.  The people whose personal stories contained more agency, communion and redemption were healthier in every respect.  The lesson for us?  Find the good in our lives and tell our personal stories from that perspective -- it's a matter of health and well being.  Besides, people who focus on the positive are much more pleasant to be around.