There are biological explanations of this. A positive frame of mind is as a result of enhanced amounts of neuro transmitters such as serotonin that regulate the performance abilities of the brain. The knock effects of a positive frame of mind also include better health – not only improved mental health but better in the physical sense aswell. This is because of the enhance to the immune system that a positive frame of mind can give you.

The opposite is also true, if we are depressed we are far more liable to contracting other diseases and mental health issues. Our relationships with others decline, we begin to think irrationally and our confidents can reduce. In short this is a frame of mind that is best to avoid at all costs. Feeling depressed ever so often is not unusual – but the way in which we choose to face an issue comes from our state of mind.

A positive mental attitude is also about giving you a can do attitude. Those that think positively are far more likely to see challenges rather than problems or possibilities instead of difficulties. For instance, entrepreneurs that are successful often are because they are able to spot opportunities for progress in a sector which other people only see problems in. The positive mental attitude of a successful person means that opportunity becomes a reality; because they also have the drive and motivation to ensure success and make their dream come true. So as you can see there is much to be gained from a positive mental attitude. The problem for many people is in developing one in the first place.

Developing a positive frame of mind is not some new aged trend. For centuries religious men and scholars alike sought out and developed ways to harness an inner harmony. While this may have begun to make humanity closer to god the essence of this idea is just as relevant today. That a positive frame of mind makes us closer to the divine while a negative frame of mind can only steer us in to ways of being which are a detriment to our lives. Monks realised this long ago which is why they devote themselves to a life of abstinence and mental and spiritual fulfilment.

Among the best ways to determine your frame of mind is to reflect on how you are with other people. A good way to do this is to picture how you behave towards people you do not know. Are you confident and open to meeting and talking with others? Or are you insular and shy. Believe it or not one of the best ways to get over a negative frame of mind is to change your attitude towards the world around you and that means the people in it also. If you are usually awkward around others then try this experiment.

One night make yourself to strike up a conversation at random in a public place. Do not worry about how you look or appear – or what you discuss. A reference in regards to the weather or anything will do. Just try it and note how you feel afterwards.

You see, how you are with others will have an effect on the opportunities you get offered. Consider it in this way – who is the most likely to get a job between two people of equal ability and experience except for one difference – One is uptight and uncomforable with other people and the other is easy going and comfortable with others. If I was the boss I know which one I would pick for the Job.

If you find it challenging to cope with everyday social events, you are not on your own. Social anxiety can form in many different ways. Due to the receptive nature of being human, and the fact there is still a lot of stigma surrounding issues of mental health, most people deny themselves the help that is offered.

If we fall ill with a physical illness, we are a lot more open in sharing our problem. Feeling down is often seen by the individual as flaw in their character. If you think you are suffering from this condition it is important to not feel ashamed. Mental disease can be treated successfully without the use of medication in most cases..

What is it that gives us mental strength? Well, some of it seems to be genetic. Mental health is well documented to be partially attributable to inherited factors. Experience also plays a big part when it comes to mental strength. If we are happy with our current lifestyle, we will feel more self confident in who we are.

In the end it all comes down to self confidence and how we feel about ourselves. If you feel comfortable with yourself that feeling will emit from you as self confidence, which in turn will be sensed by the people around you who will then see you in a different way.

One of the best ways to gain self confidence is to do a reality check on yourself every now and again. You need to think whether you are taking too much on, try to keep a focus on your priorities and needs. It can be tempting to try to take on more and more things to forget about social anxiety, this is a self defeating strategy. Be smart and think about yourself for a change and choose the extra activities you take on carefully, there is no benefit in doing extra activities if it damages your mental health.

One of the biggest factors that destroys our self confidence is concerning ourselves with what others think of us. From studies carried out in the United States on people with social anxiety, it was proven that in 60% of the cases the main cause of social anxiety was from what people thought others thought of them.

When we make assumptions of what the people around us think of us, it is human nature to think the worse. If we just applied some good sense to those thoughts, you will see how silly those assumptions are. How do we know what others are thinking? Can we read there minds? No of course not so the only reason we go down the negative path is because we choose to.

Next time you think what does that person think of me reject that negative thought and replace it with a positive thought, then over time your self confidence will build up and those negative through will disappear. One of the main factors in self confidence is starting to like yourself and who you are, how can others like you if you don’t like yourself?

Related social anxiety article.