WHY THIS WAY OF THOUGHT ISN’T WHAT IT’S CRACKED UP TO BE Put ‘ PositiveThinking’ toBed
Can the power of positive thinking change your life? Bookstores brim with self-help books written to guide readers toward positive thinking and countless websites claim to do the same. But what is positive thinking? Essentially, it’s shutting out negative thoughts. One website, tinybuddha.com, says, “Negative thoughts drain you of energy and keep you from being in the present moment. The more you give in to your negative thoughts, the stronger they become.” This sentiment is ironic considering the Buddhist philosophy of detachment (or non-attachment) suggests that one should let negative thoughts and emotions enter the mind, but not dwell on them, so they pass with the moment. Research into the subject agrees. In the 1960s, researchers studied grief — or the lack of it. When people attempted to suppress grief, it took them longer to recover from what caused the grief in the first place.
In reality, the biggest factor at play when it comes to positive or negative thinking may be stress. Stress comes with its fair share of negative consequences. Stress can influence overall health, both mentally and physically. If you are stressed, chances are you are not in a good mood and, by extension, are thinking negative thoughts. And this presents another problem with positive thinking. Anne Harrington, Franklin L. Ford Professor of the History of Science and director of undergraduate studies at Harvard, and author of “The Cure Within: A History of Mind- Body Medicine,” says, “It's just as stressful to keep up a performance of positivity as it is to [keep up] a bad mood. It's very stressful to be inauthentically upbeat all the time.” So, what can you do? Let yourself think negative and positive thoughts. Don’t dwell on the negative, and let it run its course. Then, turn your attention to your sources of stress and do what you can to minimize them.
ONE-PAN Harvest Pasta
COVER CONTINUED
Ingredients • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups) • 1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped (2 cups) • 2 tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 cup) • 1/3 cup chopped red onion • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 13/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth • 1 cup dried whole grain elbow macaroni • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Kosher salt • Ground black pepper (optional) • Snipped fresh basil • Grated Parmesan cheese
embarrassed to answer because I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, but then I began to realize there was nothing to be sorry about. I can't change the day I was born, but I can spend my birthday honoring the victims, survivors and the incredibly brave people who rose up in service that day. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more appreciative of the freedoms I can exercise while living in this country. I enjoy watching the memorial documentaries that air around my birthday, and every year I grow more grateful for the small things I used to take for granted. Thank you to all the veterans, soldiers, military families, and first responders who have made the sacrifices necessary for my freedom; I am honored to share my birthday with all of you. — Dr. Shel ly
Instructions 1. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic. Cook, uncovered, 7–10 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. 2. Add beans, broth, pasta, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 7–10 minutes more or until vegetables and pasta are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; top with basil and Parmesan cheese and serve.
Recipe courtesy of midwestliving.com
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