POSITIVE THOUGHT PRACTICE

An Inspirational Blogpost

Ugonna Sylvester-Ogan Blog

Positive thought practice is a daily exercise that you do by feeding your mind with only positive thoughts that help you sustain an optimistic attitude, even if you are in a difficult situation. It is about looking at life, things, and people from a positive point of view.

To be realistic, thinking positively doesn’t mean that you will always see the positive things coming your way immediately, but it makes you hopeful, helping you keep a growth mindset even if things don’t turn out the way you expect it to. It helps you convert your disappointments to blessings and also makes you see the best in yourself and others. 

Positive thought practice has helped me tremendously in my daily routine and in all activities regarding my life and family.

God didn’t create us to waste our imaginations on negative things but rather on things that are worthy of praise. No wonder God gave us instructions in Philippians 4:8 TPT version, which says:

“Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, Praising Him always”

It has been proven that people are less likely to be stressed when they think positively. Research has revealed that positive thinkers exhibit greater resilience in difficult times and generally, tend to live healthier lives.

BENEFITS OF POSITIVE THINKING

Better stress management and coping skills.

Enhanced psychological health.

Greater resistance to the common cold.

Increased physical well-being.

Longer life span.

Lower rates of depression.

Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Long life span.

Improved relationships. 

The bible is replete with stories of positive thinkers, who amidst difficult challenges, got good results. For example, in Mathew 5:26-29, the woman with the issue of blood must have had a deep positive thinking towards Jesus. She maintained positive thoughts and kept muttering to herself, “If only I could touch His garment I would be healed”, and as soon as her hand touched the garment of Jesus her bleeding stopped.

What a huge reward she got from her positive thinking, in spite of the challenges surrounding her.

"POSITIVE THINKING ENERGIZES YOU TO TAKE  ACTION ON YOUR  EXPECTATIONS." 

- Ugonna Sylvester- Ogan

HOW TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE THINKING

• Always be grateful to God for what you have and all that He has done and is still doing for you.

• Meditate on God’s words daily. 

• Have quiet times, especially during the early hours of the day. Get in a comfortable position for some minutes, and just think positive thoughts about yourself, your kids, spouses, families, career, and friends.

• Hang around very positive people.

• Visit people that celebrate you, not people that tolerate you.

• Play worship songs and music with positive words.

• Have an “I CAN DO IT” mindset.

• Bless yourself daily with affirmations like, “Today is a day the Lord has made for me, therefore, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I am beautiful, God’s strength is upon me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I am victorious, I am favored by God in all I do. I am healthy and strong. I will be the best in all I do. My family and loved ones are blessed” etc.

“THE VOICE THAT BRINGS PEACE CAN ONLY COME FROM A HEART THAT IS FILLED WITH GOOD THOUGHTS” 

- Ugonna Sylvester-Ogan 

I enjoyed being around my dad when I was young because he was such a very positive-minded man. I remember vividly how he would often tell me whenever I was ill with very hot temperature, he will say “U.O (he fondly called me that) you are not sick, you are growing a new body”. He would explain that I was growing to a new height and that I felt the way I felt because my body was trying to adjust to a new phase. Amazingly, his words expedited my healing.

Another incident happened during one Christmas period. News came to my dad that his factory caught fire through an electrical fault and almost everything got burnt. Relations gathered with worried faces all around him and I vividly saw one lady wailing and crying about what happened. My dad was just smiling and laughing at the serious and sad looks on peoples' faces. The lady who was crying looked at him and asked why he was not taking the case seriously. My dad replied, “I am laughing because I’m grateful to God that no life was lost and this will help me expand my business by buying better equipment”. This statement calmed everyone around him.

“ FOR I KNOW THE PLANS THAT I THINK TOWARDS YOU SAYS THE LORD, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE” JEREMIAH 29:11 NKJV

If God is thinking good things about us, we also need to think good things about ourselves even in the most difficult times. In order to protect our future, the future of our kids, spouses, families, loved ones, careers, ministry, etc., we need to adopt this “Positive Thought Practice”. 

“YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT BEAUTIFUL THINGS, YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK”.

- Ugonna Sylvester-Ogan 

PRAYER

Lord, I pray that you create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Strengthen my mind with your power and enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I will be able to think and see things the way you do in Jesus name. Amen.