Snow Dong, Shenzhen Shekou International School When you’re small, your mom always says “You can do anything. All you have to do is believe.” Though this might sound like simple encouragement, scientists have proven that positive thinking can lead to success — or at least, that if a person thinks positively or negatively, there’s a chance it will affect the outcomes of their actions. Stanford University once studied 240 children and found that positive encouragement improved their ability to answer math problems, increased their memories and enhanced their problem-solving ability. So, is it really hard to think positively? Scientists know now that it is easy for your brain to get stuck on negative thinking. The scientists told two groups of people about to have surgery their chances of success. They told the first group that the surgery has a 70 percent chance of success. The second group was told the surgery had only a 30 percent chance of success. The result was obvious that the first group was very hopeful toward the surgery, while the second group was very worried — but then they switched the information around. They decreased the chance of success for the first group and increased the chances for the second. Instead of making the second feel better though, they found out that both groups were worried about the surgery. This proved that negative thinking is easier to get stuck in our brain. So, how can we avoid thinking negative thoughts? One way is to simply think about the bright side of bad events, to see the silver lining, so to speak. By that, I mean to think not only optimistically, but to think about what you can get from an experience, even if it seems likely that you’ll fail. Another way is to share your concern with others in a positive way and try to always notice your thoughts and be aware of the negative ones. But do be careful. When I say “negative thoughts” I don’t mean a cautious thought about bad things, especially if they are realistic things that you can’t change. So, let’s all of us think more positively, not only because it helps our learning, but also helps our health and leads to a happier life. Think more positively by thinking about what you’re grateful for, think on the bright side of a event and group your thoughts. Maybe, one day your life will be more positive. | 