STREET DOGS: Why positive thinking isn’t good for you
Pop psychology and the self-help industry reinforce the belief that positive thinking can improve our mood and lead to beneficial life changes. But research in psychology suggests that indulging in undirected positive flights of fancy isn’t always in our interest. "Positive thinking can make us feel better in the short-term," says Gabriele Oettingen, professor of psychology at New York University, in an Aeon article, "but over the long-term, it saps our motivation, preventing us from achieving our wishes and goals, and leaving us feeling frustrated, stymied and stuck. If we really want to move ahead in our lives, engage with the world and feel energised, we need to go beyond positive thinking and connect as well with the obstacles that stand in our way. By bringing our dreams into contact with reality, we can unleash our greatest energies and make the most progress in our lives." In fact, positive thinking is harmful, says Oettingen. "In a number of studies over two decades, my coll...
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