We’ve all heard this phrase before: "Think positively." Often, it’s at times where we really don’t feel positive. Although it may seem purely like a cliché, behind the apparent glibness of it lies a lot of power, indeed scientifically backed power. That’s right, thinking positively really can make a difference in many aspects of our lives.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, it’s worth remembering that we’re dealing with quite a complex web of emotions, thoughts, and beliefs, so untangling them will take some work. For a start, beliefs are built up from all our lifelong experiences: from within ourselves, our cultures, our upbringings, and from all the people we’ve respected and listened to along the way, giving us plenty to untangle right there! Since our emotions and beliefs feed into our thoughts, and our thoughts are what drive us to action or, often, lead to inaction, we need to think about each part separately.

Have you ever felt that you shouldn’t apply for a job because you don’t believe you can do it? Why do you think that? It likely stems from a combination of your negative beliefs and thoughts working to convince you that trying something new is a bit scary. Maybe the voice in your head is telling you that you can’t do it because you don't have exactly the right experience, but what if you added some positivity into this self-talk and reminded yourself that you are very good at learning new things and have similar experiences? Now there’s no reason not to give it a go and apply for the job anyway. It’s a subtle shift, but turning negative thoughts into positive ones can have a profound effect over time and can influence many aspects of our lives.