{"id":137446,"date":"2024-12-07T17:26:57","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T21:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=137446"},"modified":"2024-12-09T11:47:21","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T15:47:21","slug":"positive-thinking-for-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/positive-thinking-for-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Positive Thinking for Anxiety: 3 Ways to Curb Anxious Tendencies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What role does positive thinking play in managing anxiety? How can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/meaningful-relationships-ray-dalio\/\">meaningful relationships<\/a> and purposeful activities help reduce worry?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Experts such as Kelly McGonigal and Lissa Rankin have explored the connection between positive thinking and anxiety management. Their research reveals that, while maintaining an optimistic outlook is crucial, it&#8217;s equally important to acknowledge and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-process-negative-emotions\/\">process negative emotions<\/a> in a healthy way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to learn three ways to use positive thinking for anxiety relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-positive-thinking-for-anxiety\">Positive Thinking for Anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-stop-worrying-and-start-living\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>How to Stop Worrying and Start Living<\/em><\/a>, Dale Carnegie argues that <strong>your attitude determines how you perceive and react to your circumstances.<\/strong> The more negative your attitude and the more pessimistically you approach life, the more anxiety you feel. You perceive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\">small issues<\/a> as large concerns, react by worrying incessantly, and focus on what you <em>don\u2019t<\/em> have. On the other hand, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-stop-worrying-and-start-living#part-3-cultivate-a-positive-attitude\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the more positive your attitude and the more optimistically you approach life, the less power anxiety has over you<\/a>. You find it easier to ignore small issues, react to real concerns rationally and productively, and remain focused on what\u2019s going well in your life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Physician Lissa Rankin (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/mind-over-medicine\/1-page-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Mind Over Medicine<\/em><\/a>) also discusses using positive thinking for anxiety, clarifying that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/mind-over-medicine\/1-page-summary#master-your-inner-world\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>being positive doesn\u2019t mean ignoring or suppressing negative thoughts and emotions<\/strong><\/a>. If you believe you shouldn\u2019t experience negative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/thoughts-feelings-and-behaviors\/\">thoughts and emotions<\/a> <em>at all<\/em>, when they inevitably arise, you\u2019ll worry about your worries, which will cause you to spiral into chronic anxiety and stress. On the other hand, acknowledging any negative thoughts and emotions will help you process them more effectively and allow them to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While experts recommend a variety of methods for using positive thinking for anxiety, we\u2019ll focus on three main ways to stay positive and anxiety-free: Cultivate meaning and purpose, engage your mind productively, and nurture your relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-method-1-cultivate-meaning-and-purpose\">Method #1: Cultivate Meaning and Purpose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/burnout\/1-page-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Burnout<\/em><\/a>), <strong>having meaning in life, or some larger purpose, enhances your well-being and makes you more resilient<\/strong>\u2014you\u2019re able to contextualize stressors and realize that in the grand scheme of things, they\u2019re not that important. And if you do end up feeling anxious and stressed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/burnout\/1-page-summary#tool-2-find-meaning-in-life\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">having a larger purpose will give you the hope and direction you need to move forward<\/a>. One of their suggestions for cultivating meaning and purpose is to embrace spirituality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rankin offers insight into how progressing down a spiritual path helps you live a more meaningful, worry-free life. Embracing spirituality\u2014by acknowledging what is sacred in your life\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/mind-over-medicine\/1-page-summary#master-your-inner-world\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expands your awareness and helps you transcend the superficial aspects of reality<\/a>. This feeling of transcendence makes you more open, grateful, and forgiving\u2014which in turn helps you overcome concerns that cause negative emotions and worries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carnegie provides more specific advice for embracing spirituality: Develop your spiritual connection to a higher power by engaging in quiet reflection and prayer. He explains that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/believe-in-something-bigger-than-yourself\/\">belief in a higher power<\/a> coupled with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-stop-worrying-and-start-living#approach-2-adopt-new-habits-to-maintain-a-positive-attitude\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regular contemplation and prayer alleviates anxiety because it makes you feel supported<\/a>. It provides an outlet to share your fears and concerns and helps you articulate and understand the cause of your worries. This cathartic process calms anxiety and makes worries feel more manageable\u2014making it easier to find solutions to your worries and maintain a positive attitude.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-method-2-engage-your-mind-productively\">Method #2: Engage Your Mind Productively<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\/1-page-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Flow<\/em><\/a>), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\/1-page-summary#flow-a-clue-toward-happiness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>engaging your mind productively helps maintain a positive state of mind by inhibiting negative or worrisome thoughts<\/strong><\/a>. The more you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/attention-management-strategies\/\">direct your attention<\/a> on a task, the more absorbed you feel in what you\u2019re doing. This sense of absorption connects you to the <em>present moment<\/em>, making it difficult for your mind to wander and get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-getting-distracted-by-thoughts\/\">distracted by thoughts<\/a> about the past or future\u2014which are the types of thoughts that cause anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Carnegie also advocates keeping your mind engaged\u2014for example, by pursuing a career you genuinely enjoy or adding interest and challenge to your daily activities\u2014he also recommends <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-stop-worrying-and-start-living#manage-worry-about-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scheduling frequent breaks into your day<\/a>. Taking regular moments of rest <em>before<\/em> you\u2019re tired prevents fatigue, increases efficiency, promotes constructive thinking, and makes you less susceptible to worry and anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-method-3-nurture-your-relationships\">Method #3: Nurture Your Relationships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Nagoski sisters, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/burnout\/1-page-summary#tool-3-form-a-loving-support-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">having a steady, loving support system helps maintain positivity and alleviate anxiety<\/a> because connection is a vital component of human existence\u2014you can\u2019t survive without it. In addition, caring for others reminds you to care for yourself. They elaborate that human emotion is contagious\u2014you end up syncing your emotions, speech, and even heartbeats with the people you spend time with. <strong>So spending time with people you share loving and intimate relationships with recharges your emotional battery.<\/strong> According to the Nagoski sisters, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/supportive-relationships\/\">supportive relationships<\/a> are characterized by two things:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A balance of give and take, where you trust the other person to reciprocate the resources (like love and attention) that you give them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/empathetic-connection\/\">empathetic connection<\/a> where both parties can set aside their perspective (judgments, criticisms, personal needs, and so on) and see things from the other person&#8217;s perspective&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-upside-of-stress\/1-page-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Upside of Stress<\/em><\/a>, Kelly McGonigal offers advice on how you can cultivate loving, intimate relationships: <strong>Be <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-upside-of-stress\/1-page-summary#connect-with-others\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>honest and open about the things you struggle with<\/strong><\/a>. For example, when you struggle with anxiety, admit when you\u2019re feeling anxious to people you trust, or start a social media group that discusses anxiety. Doing this will help like-minded people feel heard and comforted, which will ultimately inspire them to be open and supportive toward you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carnegie suggests another way you might cultivate and strengthen your relationships <em>and<\/em> your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-have-a-positive-mindset\/\">positive mindset<\/a>: Commit to doing at least one good deed every day. In addition to encouraging appreciation from others, thinking of ways to benefit others offers two advantages. First, it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-stop-worrying-and-start-living#approach-2-adopt-new-habits-to-maintain-a-positive-attitude\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">distracts you from thinking about yourself and your worries<\/a>. Second, acknowledging your positive impact on others makes you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/ways-to-feel-better-about-yourself\/\">feel good about yourself<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What role does positive thinking play in managing anxiety? How can meaningful relationships and purposeful activities help reduce worry? Experts such as Kelly McGonigal and Lissa Rankin have explored the connection between positive thinking and anxiety management. Their research reveals that, while maintaining an optimistic outlook is crucial, it&#8217;s equally important to acknowledge and process negative emotions in a healthy way. Keep reading to learn three ways to use positive thinking for anxiety relief.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":137462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,43],"tags":[1689],"class_list":["post-137446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-the-master-guides-understand-and-overcome-anxiety","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Positive Thinking for Anxiety: 3 Ways to Curb Anxious Tendencies - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Experts have explored the link between positive thinking and anxiety relief. Check out their recommendations, and put them to work for you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/positive-thinking-for-anxiety\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Positive Thinking for Anxiety: 3 Ways to Curb Anxious Tendencies\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Experts have explored the link between positive thinking and anxiety relief. 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