Educational brochure on how to cope and the health benefits of positive thinking. Made for a wellness group during nursing school at Edgewood College.

1. Economic Stress
Health Risks
Getting Help
Coping in
the Bad
Economy
Warning signs that stress
is negatively affecting
your well-being
• Persistent sadness/crying
• Excessive anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Feeling tired all the time
• Excessive irritability or
anger
• Increased drinking (alcohol)
• Illicit drug use including
non-needed medications
• Difficulty paying attention
• Difficulty staying focused
• Not caring about things that
used to be important to you
• Not functioning as well as
you used to (work or home)
• Contact your healthcare
provider.
• Contact your spiritual
leader.
• Contact your community
health clinic.
• National Suicide hotline
1-800-273-8255
The power of
positive thinking
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Edgewood College
Nursing Students Wellness
group
Edgewood College
1000 Edgewood College Dr.
Madison, WI 53711
www.edgewood.edu

2. Positive Exercises
10 Steps to Positive Thinking
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1. Identify Negative Thoughts
By identifying negative thoughts, you can discard
them.
2. Start Your Day Positively
Focus on the aspects of your day that could go
right and what you are looking forward to about
your day.
3. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
A lifestyle that emphasizes healthy eating and
stress relief helps you to help your mood
positively.
4. Say a Daily Affirmation
Affirmations are positive thoughts you say aloud
to encourage yourself.
5. Assess What Could Be Different
Identify what areas of your life you would like to
change.
• Write a letter of gratitude
• Count your blessings
• Perform an act of kindness
• Meditate on positive feelings
• Use your signature strengths in a
new way
• Help someone else in need
• Read a book
• Try cooking a new recipe
• Get up early in the morning and
go for a walk
• Draw or paint (be creative!)
• Pay a surprise visit to a friend
• Clean up or decorate your house
•Play with a dog
•Listen to music (mindfully)
•Watch a movie
•Eat your favorite meal (mindfully)
•Practice Mindfulness
•Attend a free class
•Exercise
•Analyze your strengths
•Dance
•Greet/talk to someone you don’t
know
•Practice listening
•Tell a joke
•Try yoga or stretching
•Do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle
•Work in the garden
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6. Find Positive Friends
Surrounding yourself with positive people can help
you find the support and encouragement you need to
live a positive life.
7. Seek Humor
Laughing and being open to humor can help you feel
more positive.
8. Do Something You Love
When you find something that makes you happy and
continue to practice what you love, you feel uplifted.
9. See a Situation a Different Way
By assessing a situation you had previously viewed as
a negative and thinking about how you can approach
it positively, you can learn to adopt a healthier
outlook on life.
10. Practice
When it comes to positive thinking, practice really
does make perfect