Learning from Illness

5 Steps to Find the Bright Side When Coping with Illness

Last spring I wrote a series exploring the connection between positive thinking and healing. It is true that positive thinking isn’t a reliable cure for illness; however, there are huge emotional benefits that come from training yourself to find the bright side in any situation. If you are ready to step into the…

Book Review: How to Manage Depression Without Drugs

Book Review: How to Manage Depression Without Drugs

Receiving a diagnosis seems to be the end of choice. Once you’re in the medical system, it can seem that many choices are made for you as you march between tests, specialists and medications. It is easy to become resigned to this fate. Give in. Get it over with. If…

Living Chronic Resilience

Living Chronic Resilience

We have arrived, at last, at last, with our final post in our series on positive thinking. We began with where the modern positive thinking movement came from, followed that with the scientific and medical explorations around positive thinking, took a detour into my personal struggles with positive thinking, discussed…

In the Weeds of Positive Thinking

In the Weeds of Positive Thinking

We’ve arrived at the revealing fourth post in my series on positive thinking. My journey deep into the heart of the positive thinking movement formed the basis for Chronic Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness. As you’ll see, positive thinking can sometimes turn sideways…

Where did ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ come from?

Where did ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ come from?

You’ve probably seen the headlines: Power of a Super Attitude (USA Today, 2004) A Positive Attitude Might Improve Your Health, Longevity (U.S. News & World Report, 2009) Heal thyself: Think positive (New Scientist, 2011) And there is more…much more from Oprah show episodes, to PBS specials and the cover of…