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Self-love embraces positive thinking and feeling good about yourself. Unfortunately, negativity can really get in the way of this. All sorts of negative thoughts and emotions about who you are as a person have probably been ingrained in you since birth. Outside influences impact our thinking about ourselves, and we begin to internalize the limiting beliefs we’ve been given. In order to practice self-love, you need to understand how negativity can impact your mind and your body. Once you do, you can work to overcome those toxic thoughts.

Raises Cortisol Levels

Cortisol is often referred to as the stress hormone. That’s because its levels in the brain increase in response to stress. Negative thoughts or exposure to negative people and situations can cause stress. So when you allow yourself to focus on negativity, you’re bound to experience a boost in cortisol. This can lead to a number of unwanted effects. Just some examples include impaired cognitive function, lowered thyroid function, and imbalances to blood sugar.

Risk of Stroke

Negativity can be linked to all sorts of health risks. One of these is increased risk of stroke. The system within your body that responds to stress is called the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, and it is often activated by negative emotions. This boost in activity has been linked to risk factors associated with stroke.

Limiting Beliefs

The more you encounter negative thoughts, the more you’re likely to believe them. In turn, your actions will reflect that thinking. Your life can be limited in so many ways by negativity. This type of thinking becomes ingrained and feeds upon itself. You’ll notice that you begin to have more and more self-defeating thoughts in the future. It can even usher in depression. It’s a toxic cycle, but it is breakable.

Triggered Flight or Fight

The flight or fight response that comes from being exposed to danger can be triggered by negativity. When you’re continually exposed to stress and negativity, your brain can begin to perceive these states as a threat. In response, adrenaline will flood through your body. This leads to heightened anxiety and could even induce a panic attack.

These are just a few examples of the ways in which negativity can impact your brain and body. Hopefully, you now have even more motivation to begin the process of embracing self-love so that you can combat these issues.