Hooray... we all made it through the holidays! Hopefully you have lots of good memories and survived, or even conquered, whatever stresses came your way! With the start of 2010 comes the opportunity to not only choose how we will approach the New Year, but how we'll embrace the new decade!

As I see it, one of the problems of life is that it's way too easy to focus on the negative things that come our way. We replay negative events in our heads and blame ourselves when bad things happen. But to dwell on the negative can alter our perceptions and make it so difficult to find joy or peace in our lives. Positive thinking isn't about ignoring obstacles or unpleasant situations; it just means approaching things in a more productive way-choosing to see the cup as half full instead of half empty or choosing to see challenges as opportunities in disguise.

Positive living for the New Year

So how do we move forward on a more positive vein? We could start with the proverbial New Year's resolution. Like me, you may feel the need to approach the New Year with setting a goal (or two). We just need to remember to makes those goals realistic and attainable.

Whatever your goals, it's important to embrace a lifestyle that supports positive thinking. For instance, positive thinking may come a lot easier when we...

• Follow a healthy lifestyle... by eating well, exercising and getting plenty of sleep. (I think we can all attest that we're more negative when we're run down physically!)
• Are open to humor... and laugh, a lot! Read the jokes and funny stories in Nurse Humour to get you started.
• Practice positive self-talk... and simply say "No!" to guilt trips that other want to share. Click here to read 100 Positive-Thinking Exercises That Will Make Any Patient Healthier & Happier.
• Surround ourselves with positive people. When you're feeling negative, find one of those cup-half-full folks and let their faith and positive outlook lift your spirit.

A big bang for the buck!

Positive thinking will not only impact how well you make a living (a real plus in today's economy), but will also impact your health! Positive thinking can deliver these amazing benefits...

• Increase your lifespan
• Lower rates of depression
• Provide resistance to the common cold
• Reduce your risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Provide better coping skills during times of stress

Now it's your turn!

Did you make a New Year's resolution? Go back to our home page and vote!

If you made a resolution or decided to make a positive change for the New Year, share it here with the community.