Cheerful thoughts are sometimes hard to come up with when suffering from depression or anxiety. How to keep your thoughts cheerful and upbeat becomes easier and easier with the more you practice....

And they also help you keep your cortisol levels (stress hormone) down, which significantly affects how you age.

So let's talk briefly about the main chemical that ages us and why you want to cheer up and think cheerful thoughts more often to stay young.

The “Age Accelerating” Hormone: Cortisol

Cortisol and adrenaline work together to keep us healthy and alert when we need to “run from a tiger.”

Oh, I guess we don't do that anymore... ...

But our ancestors did, and cortisol helped save their lives.

Today, we're continually “running from tigers” and producing high amounts of cortisol by working long work hours (under artificial lights and re-circulated air) and taking care of elderly parents and/or raising children (including soccer, cheerleading and a whole lot more activities than the “cave kiddies” had to do)...

We're also producing cortisol by worrying about finances, experiencing separation and loneliness and by fighting traffic to get across town.  All of this plays a significant role in keeping us on “tiger alert.”

Now you've probably heard all of this before, so I won't elaborate too much on the problem, but according to the Mayo Clinic, unyielding levels of cortisol cause many illnesses such as heart disease, digestive disorders, obesity, depression, etc., all of which, cause you to age.

While most of the talk about high cortisol levels refers to major diseases, our conversation will be focused on simply keeping cheerful thoughts...

Because maintaining cheerful thoughts is how everything starts...

It proliferates happy thoughts...

Tunes your "set point" to having positive thoughts for the day...

And generally teaches you how to be happy!

Does this really lead to happiness and successful aging?

Yes, because your mind is the central computer...

Everything starts there...

If the mind is kept calm, the body stays calm...

On the other hand, if the mind “sees” danger, the body follows because we biologically “see” stress as danger...

And it all comes from our thoughts.

Once we calm ourselves down, our chemical balance changes and, yes, we stay thinner and younger looking because cortisol wreaks havoc with our waists!  (Yes, I meant that literally - cortisol likes putting fat around our middles.)

And there's probably a smile on our face too once we're calm – yet another youthful component that combats the corners of our mouths turning down as we age.

All it takes is a conscious effort to make a change.

Why?

Because we can control our minds, which control our bodies, which control our health, which controls our aging process, which is controlled by the chemicals we run through our systems...

Whew, was that a mouthful...

But I think you get the picture.

If you're really into the chemicals and how they work, go ahead and click here to go to the electronic mind control page, which explains how the different brain wave levels (i.e., our moods) affect the different neurotransmitters and other chemicals that keep us young.

Also, if you want to reduce your cortisol levels, I have some customized brainwave meditations on that page that not only help you reduce cortisol levels, but also increse beneficial anti-aging hormones.

So what are some ways to cheer up and keep cheerful thoughts prevailing?

• Look for the humor – lighten up. We're not getting out of this alive... let's make the best of it while we're here.


• Just do it...

Determine that you're going to keep cheerful thoughts in your mind about every situation.

If your hormones are going nuts one day – acknowledge them, take a rest and have some compassion for yourself.

Then dwell on happy thoughts...

Keep a picture or post card with you that cheers you up.


Stop whatever you're doing and become grateful. This alone will create cheerful thoughts and “cheerful” chemicals running through your body.

There's something about having an attitude of gratitude that is very powerful...

If you're having a fight, stop and tell yourself what you appreciate about that person.  It will change your attitude completely.

If you're in traffic and late for an appointment, stop, take a deep breath and start counting your blessings...

Stressing about being late won't get you there sooner.  But changing your vibration to gratitude certainly could help sychronicity move you along better.

It's your choice how you choose to handle the situation because happiness is a choice.

There are different kinds of thoughts to stay cheerful...

I tend to gravitate toward empowering cheerful thoughts.

Here are a few examples:



As I just wrote out each of those phrases, I felt my energy shifting and becoming more relaxed  (and I was already calm before writing them.)

How do I know my energy shifted?

I sigh after a change of energy.  In fact, many people do.

I can always tell when my clients have shifted something inside because they'll have some shift in breathing or a release through the breath.

And, the good news is...

The more cheerful you become, the more your body becomes addicted to it.

Why?

Because you're putting out chemicals of happy thoughts and your body gets hooked on them. And, yes, they're the ones that keep the wrinkles away.

Did you know that the cellular structure of your skin is derived from the same structure as your brain? So, when your brain's "firing" on all cylinders and producing the right chemicals to keep it happy, your skin benefits from those same chemicals - thus looking younger and more beautiful. Makes my skin glow just thinking about it!

SUMMARY

So what's the bottom line here on ways to cheer up?

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts, think happy and cheerful thoughts...

Be powerful in every situation – even when your hormones are skewed – and talk to yourself as though you were your own child...

Be kind to yourself.

Put in a comedy...

On my definition of positive attitude page, there's a funny video that will make you laugh for a few moments...

That's a good way to cheer up!


But my favorite way to cheer myself up is by...

Taking a barefoot hike out in the woods...

Smelling the forest...

And letting my positive thoughts run rampant!

---

Benefits of Positive Thinking
Electronic Mind Control
How to Change Your Belief
Mind Control Techniques


Return from Cheerful Thoughts to Positive Thoughts

Return from Cheerful Thoughts to EFFECTIVE-positive-thinking home