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How you think about your future is bound up with your well-being.
Positive future thinking (PFT) is an important component of healthy cognitive functioning.
When people cant imagine a positive future, that negative view often becomes a central feature ofanxietyanddepression.
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By focusing on positives, people find a life ofmeaning and purpose.
The goal: you dont just survive, you thrive.
Using whats called prospection, it’s possible for you to think about and stimulate your possible future.
This may include planning, predicting, and using hypothetical scenarios about future events.
Note, future thinking is different from fantasizing.
With future thinking, people come to expect to reach a goal.
So, they often plan, make efforts, and work around obstacles to achieve it.
Visualization
When you hold a picture in your mind and energize it, you are visualizing.
Using visualization techniques can empower you to a better future.
It becomes more real and possible.
Youll therefore be more likely to invest in that future retirement and overcome delay discounting.
Managing Mental Health Challenges
Creating the habit of future thinking with a positive outlook has many advantages.
In addition, it can help you with the effects of various mental health challenges.
She says when people are in positive future thinking mode, their body is relaxed.
Therefore a stressor simply will not register as a massive issue.
Depression
The power of future thinking can be a critical component of mental health treatment.
Neidich says that those with depression improve significantly in depressive symptomatology when they focus on positive future goals.
She says, “A new way of thinking changes our thoughts.
Anticipatory Savoring
To improve your psychological health, luxuriate in thinking about a future event.
Anticipatory savoring is when you are enjoying an event that hasnt happened.
Practice
Take an inventory.
See if youre obsessing about the past or mired in your current problems.
Pivot to thoughts about what youre looking forward to.
Give attention to future-oriented positive ideas.
This can help you move forward into your future in a healthy manner.
Or you might opt directly for Future Directed Therapy.
In this form of therapy, you dont dwell on the past or your present-day problems.
Benefits to having positive beliefs and expectations abound.
These positive beliefs and dreams affect our mental wellbeing and can improve sleep and intimacy with those around you.
Some people meditate on manifesting their dreams, and you know what?
Sometimes they achieve them.
So, turn on your future channel and find happy, positive scenarios to imagine.
Allen S.How thinking about the future makes life more meaningful.
Greater Good Science Center.
