Many years ago, when I still used Instagram and treated the social media platform as a blogging forum, I posted the following content:
I want to take a moment to send everyone positive vibrations, project good energy, and deliver supportive prayer to each and every one reading this post. May your day be filled with blessed events, supportive affirmations, and endless positivity. I hope all of you will experience perpetual happiness, unconditional optimism, and limitless light on this and all of your days to come. Positive vibes only! Just kidding.
I went on to make a logical and reasonable (collectively “rational”) case against the power of positive thinking. To this, one respondent cited a Masaru Emoto “study” that purportedly “proved” the power of positive thinking. Regarding this matter, one source states:
According to the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, the molecular structure of water is influenced by the words and feelings that are directed towards it. In his studies, Emoto found that water exposed to positive words and intentions formed beautiful, symmetrical crystalline structures when the water was frozen, while water exposed to negative words and intentions formed disorganized, asymmetrical structures.
Admittedly, it’s a matter of hubris to state that Emoto’s study was absolutely misleading. Nevertheless, I tend to favor a scientific approach to living rather than subscribing to pseudoscientific concepts such as Emoto’s. Regarding this matter, one source states:
It is very unlikely that there is any reality behind Emoto’s claims. A triple blind study of these claims failed to show any effect. Also, the phenomenon he describes has never been published in a peer reviewed science journal, which almost certainly means that the effect cannot be demonstrated under controlled conditions.
But, you may say, perhaps nobody has tried to replicate this effect under controlled conditions. I very much doubt that. After all, Emoto’s phenomenon would be amazing, if true, and the demonstrator of the phenomenon would achieve instant fame and, probably, fortune.
Despite evidence to the contrary, many people choose to irrationally believe in nonsensical concepts such as the power of positive thinking in regard to influence of the psychic realm upon the physical plain. Personally, consideration of such matters is a waste of time. I’ll pass.
Alternatively, I suspect that a person’s ability to influence one’s own mood when thinking positively has a better chance of yielding a hypothesized effect. Although I can’t impact the physical properties of water through the power of positive thinking, I can alter how I feel.
When addressing feelings, I’m referring to either emotions or sensations. However, I’m not referencing thoughts, beliefs, hunches, or other cognitive content. The formation of mental processes isn’t the same thing as the experience of emotive or sensational outcomes.
Given this understanding, consider how the ABC model of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) posits that one’s helpful or unhelpful Belief about an undesirable Activating event can cause favorable or unfavorable Consequences.
For the sake of discussion, let’s refer to a rational belief as an “rB” and an irrational belief as an “iB.” As we understand that in order to be considered rational, a belief empirically must remain in accordance with both logic and reason. Yet, “rational” isn’t a synonym of “positive.”
For instance, suppose that you and your spouse had a significant argument earlier today and the matter was left unresolved (Activating event). Positively, you Believe, “Things are going to get better, I just know it.” Is this an rB, iB, or perhaps something else?
I would ask how you “know” things are going to get better. Upon what is this assumption based? Granted, you may feel better when enjoying the short-lived effects of catharsis after having invested in the so-called power of positive thinking. What Consequences are then produced?
You may temporarily feel joy and feel a pleasantly warm sensation when thinking in such a way. However, deluding oneself into a false sense of confidence is akin to sending positive vibes to your water before you drink it while lying to yourself about its supposedly objective impact.
Thus, an rB isn’t the same thing as a positive thought. Rather, given your Activating event, you may helpfully Believe, “While this is an unpleasant experience, I can tolerate discomfort.” Besides, you and your intimate partner likely have had many instances of conflict before.
With this productive attitude, you then feel disappointed while also experiencing hopefulness. Disappointment regarding an argument of this sort is reasonable. Likewise, though not entirely rational, hope can provide you with a desire to ultimately resolve conflict in the near future.
Unhelpfully, regarding an iB, you could experience the Activating event while Believing, “It’s terrible that my partner and I can’t see eye-to-eye, because we shouldn’t argue if we love one another.” This unproductive attitude produces sorrow, fear, and hopelessness (Consequence).
Noteworthy, both your rB and iB cause Consequences. Whether or not these outcomes are favorable or unfavorable depends on what personal narrative you use. Nonetheless, positive thinking doesn’t factor into either of the rB or iB examples which I’ve demonstrated herein.
Rather, rational and irrational beliefs – regardless of whether or not one identifies such content as positive or negative – produced the illustrated outcomes. Even still, many people choose to think positively rather than rationally. About this, authors of Creative Marriage state (page 129):
[T]his kind of ‘positive thinking’ is not going to get you very far. At the most it may serve as a temporary diversion from your difficulties. It cannot really correct them as long as, together with this ‘accentuating the positive,’ you are still unconsciously or unawarely emphasizing the negative.
To be exceedingly clear, I do maintain that thinking positively or negatively can influence one’s mood. However, positive thinking may temporarily provide relief while rational beliefs can serve as a method of actually getting better rather than merely feeling better.
In any event, if you choose to send positive vibes to your water, invest in the power of positive thinking during arguments with your spouse, rely on crystals or horoscopes to improve your life, or maintain that otherworldly beings are guiding you through life, then so be it. I’ll pass though.
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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Ellis, A. and Harper, R. A. (1961). Creative Marriage. The Institute For Rational Living, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/creative-marriage-e184052310.html
Freepik. (n.d.). Ai generated water picture [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-ai-image/ai-generated-water-picture_57309904.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=14&uuid=85831a48-7255-46d7-af1d-3f74d17959d3&query=glass+of+water
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