We often think of positivity as a feel-good word and don’t consider all the research there is to support positivity practices in our lives. Did you know research has found that positive emotions are commonly accompanied by better health, a longer life and much more?
If living longer and being healthier is not enough of a reason to be positive, here are six of the top benefits for incorporating positivity practices into your life.
1. Boost Your Health
A Harvard study “found that women who were optimistic had a significantly reduced risk of dying from several major causes of death — including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection — over an eight-year period, compared with women who were less optimistic.” [source]
2. Decrease Chronic Pain and Migraines
Research on Loving-Kindness Meditation resulted in reducing migraine pain (Tonelli et al (2014)) and decreasing chronic pain as well as anger. (Carson et al., 2005).
3. Increase Relaxation
Practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation for just 10 minutes resulted in an immediate relaxing effect. Researchers measured the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). RSA is an index of parasympathetic cardiac control which is your ability to relax and enter into a restorative state. (Law, 2011 reference)
Loving-Kindness Meditation
Loving-Kindness Meditation is the practice of focusing your mind on the repetition of a kind thought - initially towards someone you care about. Begin by relaxing your body and mind. Take three deep breaths.
Bring to mind someone you care about and repeat these kind words in your mind. You can change the lines to be something that resonates with you. It might be something like:
May you feel peace.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
May you know you are loved.
After sending kind thoughts to someone else, send them towards yourself.
May I feel peace.
May I be healthy.
May I feel safe.
May I know that I am loved.
The final portion of a Loving Kindness Meditation is to send kind, loving thoughts to all beings.
May all beings feel peace.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings feel save.
May all beings know they are loved.
The exact phrases can be whatever you want them to be. The key is focusing on kind and caring thoughts, repeating these thoughts in your mind as often as you like. Some people like to visual the person, themselves or a large group of people when stating these kind thoughts in your mind. You can close your eyes or leave them open.
4. Decrease Anxiety and Increase Happiness
A research study of 102 individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorder were split into three groups asking participants to utilize a positive visual image or a verbal positive outcome to their worries. Utilizing a visual of a positive image resulted in decreased anxiety and greater happiness. [source]
5. Develop and Build Skills
Barbara Fredrickson, University of North Carolina positive psychology researcher studied the effects of individuals practicing a positivity technique called Loving-Kindness Meditation. The research showed that the benefits of this positivity meditation go beyond the few minutes of feeling good afterwards. The findings showed Loving-Kindness Meditation enhances our ability “to build skills and develop resources for use later in life”. [source]
6. Improve Emotional Regulation
A research study examining the brains of individuals with a long-standing practice of Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) compared to novices. The findings were that individuals with a long-standing practice of LKM had enhanced function in regions of the brain that are regulate mood, anxiety, and our empathetic response. In short, Loving-Kindness Meditation can improve how we regulate our mood and anxiety, and how we emphatically respond to situations.
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