Years ago, I went through a seminar called Insight – which was entitled “The Awakening Heart Seminar.” Hey, I was single at the time and was looking to get my heart awakened – okay. However, there were a few things they showed us that still impact me today.

I learned what negative and positive thinking does to our physical body. They called a woman who came to the front and asked her to hold her arm up. The group Facilitator pressed down on her wrist after asking her to think negatively and she was obviously weaker. Then he asked her to think positive thoughts and her arm was like steel. Next, two participants were led outside of the room and were brought back one at a time.

Before the first was brought back inside, the Facilitator asked all the participants to send out negativity into the room and when they were brought back in and muscle tested, they were obviously weak. The second was muscle tested after the room went positive and the person was strong!  

This speaks a lot to the atmosphere in the world today. As we send out negativity it impacts those around us. Conversely, if we were to send out positivity, this would impact ourselves and others in a more healthy way.  

Candace Pert received a Nobel Prize for providing that when we have positive thoughts the brain will secrete Peptides that enhance the immune system, help digestion, and slow the aging process. In teaching this I always tell people that I am 120 years old and positive thinking has done amazing things for me.

Let’s take positive thinking to the next level. As a massage therapist, we were taught that when the body is fully relaxed the blood moves from the muscles into our digestive tract. If you have any digestive disorders it is extremely important to calm yourself before you eat a meal. To take this to another level, the die-hards at my university used to talk about avoiding food that was prepared in an intense atmosphere, as if that negativity is now in the food and will be negatively affecting you. I am not in that camp, believing that when we are in a centered place our body can do its proper job.

What does all this mean in real life? First of all, when we are in a positive and relaxed place we have more energy, can think more clearly, and our body is at its optimum. If you find yourself complaining about work, others, or your situation, you are only injuring yourself. At the University of Santa Monica, they talked about a man who made a clinical test on the effects of negativity on the human body. Somehow he figured out that with each negative thought, it takes 7 seconds off of your life.

How do we remain upbeat? Share your love with others. This may look like praising your partner for the little things they do. Giving compliments to yourself and others. Yes, you can compliment yourself for the weirdness of it or to help yourself feel better.

In our groups, we ask each participant to do “Self Appreciation” by filling in the blank. “I appreciate myself for ___________________.” What is it that you appreciate about you?

Self-care on the physical level is easy and a big part of everyday life for most. You know, bathe, brush your teeth and hair (if you have hair). However, on the mental level, it is staying positive. Again, in doing so you are keeping yourself in great shape. Self-appreciation is on the mental level and can be of great benefit on a regular basis.

On the emotional level, it is all about being your own best friend. It is taking care of yourself first before caring for others. Now, this may seem selfish, however, if you are not caring for yourself, the help you give to others can be limited. If you are only taking care of your needs and excluding others, that is different. If you have been a long-term people pleaser, try to please yourself first, it can help you be more effective when you are taking care of others.

One of my mentors – Albert Saparoff was the innovator of the “Get High on Life” program. He used to go into the inner city and teach children how to care for their emotional needs. He presented being “DEAR to yourself.” Let me break this down.

D – Diet

E – Exercise

A – Attitude

R – Relaxation

Albert was a cornball who loved to joke around a lot. He was 94 years young when he passed away about a decade ago. I miss you, my friend.

Test this information out. If you are going for a walk, fill your mind with positivity. Make it a game and enjoy each step. At the end of it notice the difference.

I recall going for hikes after each Doctorate class I took and was always filled with fear, worrying about whether I had the strength to make it back to my car. Then one day I found real peace in one of the exercises we did and kept thinking about it on the trail. Suddenly I realized that I was walking at a section I never walked before and was way down the trail. I chuckled to myself as I continued to this amazing lookout and had more than ample strength to make it back in one piece.

Our attitude keeps us young, strong, and is a good companion to go through life with. Let’s face it – you have a companion with you every moment of the day and for the rest of your life. That companion is you. How is your relationship with yourself? Are you happy, strong, and filled with youth? Albert lived a long and prosperous life and in his elder years wrote about how music was good for the body and soul.

Please give a hug to your traveling companion for me.