For a more in-depth discussion of this topic you can view my Facebook livestream here.

I want to preface this article with a brief explanation. I don't want to give the impression that your thoughts are the sole determining factor in your health. Naturopathic philosophy states that there are 4 major aspects to your health- Lifestyle habits, Physical stress to your body (accidents, injuries, surgeries), Mental stress (which is where this subject fits in), and Toxic stresses, like pollution. So, as powerful as the following information is, keep in mind that it is ¼ of the equation. That being said, 25% is a pretty big percentage and most of us need to improve in this area.

As a Man Thinketh, so is He

This little book was written in 1903 and attempted to take the concept of thought determining reality and make it simple to understand. Here's an excerpt:

"The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly. Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it."

Olympians prove the power in 1972   

I remember distinctly being glued to the TV each night watching the winter Olympics. There was lots of buzz about the Swiss downhill skiers, who were working with a coach who had a new technique: He had each athlete close their eyes and imagine their runs over and over. Experiments showed that the athlete's bodies were actually reacting as they imagined! Their nervous system and muscles were making minor motions that showed this imagining had a subtle effect on the body, without the conscious movements by the athletes. They blew the other skiers away, and a new technique found its way into Olympic training, which is still considered one of the most powerful tools of successful athletes.

What pulls our thoughts down?

Although you will have your individual answers to this question, there are some things that are universal.

1. "The News" in any form- print, radio, tv, internet. It seems that the more news outlets can shock us, the better.

2. Ugliness- This can be as subtle as a stain on your carpet, a picture that brings up bad memories sitting where you see it regularly, colors in your environment that you don't like, or even too much clutter.

3. Negative people- When you have someone in your environment who always has a dim outlook on things or has a negative comment on any subject, it can pull your thoughts right down.

4. Worry- This could be summarized as being stuck in your own head, going over and over a situation that doesn't seem to have an immediate solution. This robs you of energy and makes it actually more difficult to solve the problem at hand.

How can we bring our thoughts back up? 

1. Minimize your exposure to the news. Change your internet home page to one that doesn't show shocking headlines, put on music instead of talking heads on the radio, bring your own entertainment to the gym so you don't have to watch the news blaring on several stations while you're on the treadmill... you get the idea.

2. Look at your environment and ask yourself if it is aesthetic. Something as simple as a picture you love, colors that make you feel good, or even plants and essential oils all stimulate pleasure responses that actually can improve your thoughts and outlook.

3. When possible, get rid of negative people in your life. If that's not possible (family member or coworker), minimize contact where you can, keep the conversations light and don't engage on subjects you know will set them off.

4. When you find yourself worrying, first take a walk and focus on the things around you, which takes you "out of your head", so to speak. Talk to a friend or colleague, which can help you put things in perspective. Make a plan for moving forward- even if the worry is about something that you can't change, making a plan for taking care of yourself through the stressful time can help.

5. Daydream! In multiple studies on subjects like healing from cancer or improving creativity in the workplace or reaching your goals, daydreaming has proven to make a huge difference in outcomes. Young children daydream, imagine and pretend for up to 2/3 of their waking hours. They still have wonder and excitement about every little thing, and they have a joyful approach to life. By the time we reach adulthood, we have lost much of this joy and wonder. To quote Picasso, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Research shows that we can recapture these traits by practicing daydreaming, imagining and pretending. So go ahead and indulge! If you find yourself in a funk, use the power of daydreaming to bring yourself back up.

Disclaimer: This should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway: I am not a medical doctor and nothing in this blog should be taken as medical advice. Discuss all medical issues with your own MD.