Читать книгу 100 Ways to Boost Your Energy - Theresa Cheung, Theresa Cheung - Страница 18

Negative mental and emotional states such as fear, guilt, anger, anxiety, loneliness and worry may be the biggest energy-drainers of them all, increasing your risk not just of fatigue and unhappiness but of poor health in general. Although a positive attitude may not be a cure-all, studies do suggest that patients who are positive and optimistic experience fewer, less severe symptoms and recover more quickly than pessimistic, negative thinkers. People who think positively also seem to have a better overall quality of life.

Bear in mind that negativity in others can also sap your strength. Listening to someone you know complain or moan constantly about the weather, their workload or life in general is a real downer. To preserve your energy, distance yourself from people like that as much as possible. If you can’t, disarm them with your positive and upbeat approach. Although relationships with people who have a glass-half-empty approach to life can wear you out, don’t forget that relationships with people who understand the importance of give and take can be a source of great happiness. The secret is to set boundaries and to learn to say ‘no’ when you are stretched too thinly.

Negative thoughts seem to breed and produce more negative thoughts, causing a downward spiral. If you tend to be a pessimist by nature, catch yourself whenever you have a negative thought and try to turn it around into a positive statement. It will be hard at first, but if you keep repeating the positive statements, they will begin to take hold and grow.

If you are prone to worry and negativity, as well as eating healthily and getting the mood-boosting effects of regular exercise (preferably in the fresh air), you should pay particular attention to the energy tips on pages 159–70.