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Hopeful Messages
By
Lynn Serper |
 Staying
young is a common topic of the day. As a large portion of
the population is aging, there is a passionate interest on
how to stay healthy while slowing the progress of aging.
Most people follow the medical advice regularly appearing in
the media.
There is no question that care of the physical body is of
utmost importance. Keeping our hands clean, following
healthy nutrition, maintaining a regimen of physical
exercise, continuing mental exercises, having regular
medical checkups and even wearing seat belts are good health
habits to follow. However, there is another health habit
that is not often mentioned but has also been found to have
a strong effect on health and longevity; it is the way we
think about our life situations.
The way we talk to ourselves when situations come upon us –
whether good or bad Hopeful Messages -- indicate our view of
life. These self conversations also point out what
strategies we use to deal with circumstances. Here are the
questions we can ask ourselves. Are we pessimistic or
optimistic?
What messages are we sending to our brain? What message is
our brain sending to our body? Do we proactively have
control over our messages and how our body responds?
If in our self-talk we blame ourselves or others and believe
that the bad results are the way things are with no
possibility of change, the helpless response is pessimistic.
If, on the other hand, the response to the same situation is
a belief that the defeat is only temporary, that it’s not
our fault, and that a solution can be found, a hopeful
optimistic style is at work. Optimists view a difficult
situation as a challenge and think about solutions or
treatments. It’s been found that if we engage in thoughts
that show a positive outcome, the body actually acts in
response to the hopeful messages.
In fact, evidence shows that individuals who believe in
possibilities and actively think about hope maintain better
health. Therefore, when life throws a bad apple your way,
give the situation a good look, consider your options and
give yourself healthy thoughts. |
About The Author
Lynn Lazarus Serper, EdD, is president of Brain
Enhancement Services, Inc., and founder of The Serper
Method™, a nationally recognized workbook program for brain
enrichment. She can be reached by email at lynnserper@
serpermethod.com, or by telephone at (800) 240-3778.
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