A Positive Mental Attitude

1. A Positive Mental Attitude A positive mental attitude is the real foundation for optimal health.

2. Your attitude CAN make a difference! • There is a growing body of evidence that your habitual thoughts and emotions largely determine your level of health and the quality of your life.

3. Control • Life is full of events that are beyond our control. • We do have control over our response to these events. • Our attitude goes a long way in determining how we view and respond to all of the challenges of life. • You will be much HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, and MORE SUCCESSFUL if you adopt a positive mental attitude than if you have a pessimistic view!

4. Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization • Abraham Maslow (a research psychologist) spent years studying healthy, successful people. • Maslow believed that healthy individuals are motivated toward self-actualization. In other words, healthy people are driven to be all that they can be.

5. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs • Maslow developed a five-step pyramid of human needs. • He believed that the needs of the lower levels must be met before the next level can be achieved.

6. Self-actualized people … • perceive reality more effectively that others and are more comfortable with it. • have an unusual ability to detect the fake and dishonest in personality. • possess an ability to be realistic about their own strengths, possibilities and limitations. • have a problem-solving orientation toward life instead of a self centered one. • have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again the basic pleasures of life, such as nature, children, music … • are strongly ethical and moral. • have a keen, unhostile sense of humour (don’t laugh at jokes that hurt other people)

7. The Road to Self-Actualization • Self-actualization doesn’t happen all at once. • Self-actualization begins by taking personal responsibility for your own positive mental state, your life, your current situation, and your health. • You must commit yourself to being the best you can be at whatever you do in life!

8. There are Seven Steps to a Positive Mental Attitude Step 1: Become an Optimist Step 2: Become Aware of Self-Talk Step 3: Ask Better Questions Step 4: Employ Positive Affirmations Step 5: Set Positive Goals Step 6: Practice Positive Visualizations Step 7: Laugh Long and Often

9. Step 1: Become an Optimist • The first step in developing a positive mental attitude is to become an optimist rather than a pessimist.

10. How do you view the world around you? A pessimist is somebody who often sees and interprets their life in a NEGATIVE way. An optimist is somebody who often sees and interprets their life in a POSITIVE way.

11. Your attitude CAN change your physical health! Not only does optimism help prevent disease, but science is discovering that it is a vital ally in the healing process. Detailed evidence supports the contention that optimists • live longer • suffer from fewer and less severe diseases • are much healthier than pessimists. A pessimistic attitude can seriously erode our health!

12. Are you an optimist? To determine whether you are an optimist, answer the following questions. There are no right or wrong answers. Read the description of each situation and really try to imagine that it is happening to you!

13. The project you are in charge of is a great success. I kept a close watch over everyone’s work. Everyone devoted a lot of time and energy to it.

14. 2. You and your boyfriend make up after a fight. I forgave him. I am usually forgiving.

15. 3. You get lost driving to a friend’s house. I missed a turn. My friend gave me bad directions.

16. 4. Your boyfriend surprises you with a gift. He just got a raise at work. I took him out to a special dinner the night before.

17. 5. You forget your boyfriend’s birthday. I’m not good at remembering birthdays. I was preoccupied with other things.

18. 6. You get a flower from a secret admirer. I am attractive to him. I am a popular person.

19. 7. You run for a student council position and you win. I devote a lot of time and energy to campaigning. I work very hard at everything I do.

20. 8. You miss an important event. Sometimes my memory fails me. I sometimes forget to check my appointment book.

21. 9. You run for a position on student council and you lose. I didn’t campaign hard enough. The person who won knew more people.

22. 10. You host a successful dinner party. I was particularly charming that night. I am a good host.

23. 11. You stop a crime by calling the police. A strange noise caught my attention otherwise I may not have noticed anything wrong. I was alert that day.

24. 12. You were extremely healthy all year. Few people around me were sick, so I wasn’t exposed to very many germs. I made sure I ate well and got enough rest.

25. 13. You owe the library $10 for an overdue book. When I am really involved in what I am reading, I often forget when it’s due. I was so involved in writing a report for my English teacher that I forgot to return the book.

26. 14. Your friend made muffins and they were amazing! My friend decided to try something new. My friend is a fantastic baker.

27. 15. You win an athletic contest. I was feeling unbeatable. I train hard.

28. 16. You fail an important exam. I wasn’t as smart as the other people taking the exam. I didn’t prepare for it well.

29. 17. You prepared a special meal for a friend and she didn’t like the food. I wasn’t a good cook. I made the meal in a rush.

30. 18. You lose a sporting event for which you have been training for a long time. I’m not very athletic. I’m not good at that sport.

31. 19. Your car runs out of gas on a dark street late at night. I didn’t check to see how much gas was in the tank before I left. The gas gauge may be broken.

32. 20. You lose your temper with a friend. She is always nagging me and I can only take so much. She was in a hostile mood that day and she pushed all of my buttons.

33. 21. You lose marks on a project because you handed it in late. I always put off doing my assignments until it is too late. I was lazy about doing that project on time.

34. 22. You ask a person on a date and he says no. I was a wreck that day (that is why he said no). I got tongue-tied when I asked him on the date.

35. 23. A game-show host picks you out of the audience to participate in the show. I was sitting in the right seat. I looked the most enthusiastic.

36. 24. You are frequently asked to dance at a party. I am outgoing at parties. I was in perfect form that night.

37. 25. You buy your boyfriend a gift that he doesn’t like. I don’t put enough thought into things like that. He has very picky tastes.

38. 26. You do exceptionally well in a job interview. I felt extremely confident during the interview. I interview well.

39. 27. You tell a joke and everyone laughs. The joke was funny. The way that I told the joke was perfect.

40. 28. Your teacher doesn’t give you enough time to finish a project, but you get it finished anyway. I am good at school. I am a very efficient person.

41. 29. You’ve been feeling run-down lately. I never get a chance to relax. I was exceptionally busy this week.

42. 30. You ask someone to dance and he says no. I am not a good enough dancer. He doesn’t like to dance.

43. 31. You save a person from choking to death. I know the technique to stop someone from choking. I know how to act in emergency situations.

44. 32. Your boyfriend wants to ‘take a break’ for a while because he says that you are drifting apart. I don’t know how to maintain a close relationship with somebody. I haven’t spent enough time with him lately.

45. 33. A friend says something that hurts your feelings. She always blurts things out without thinking of others. She was in a bad mood and took it out on me.

46. 34. Your brother comes to you for advice about dating. I do very well when it comes to relationship advice. I am good at giving useful advice in general.

47. 35. A friend thanks you for helping her get through a bad time. I enjoy helping her through tough times. I care about people.

48. 36. You have a wonderful time at a party. Everyone was friendly. I was friendly.

49. 37. Your doctor tells you that you are in good physical shape. I make sure to exercise frequently. I am very health-conscious.

50. 38. Your boyfriend takes you away for a romantic weekend. He needed to get away for a few days. He likes to go to new places.