"Fear not death for the hour of your doom is set and none may escape it." - Saga of the Volsungs, c.5

"The unwise think they will live forever if they can avoid fighting, but old age will give them no peace, even if spears spare their life." - Hávamál, Stanza 16

“Cattle die, and kinsmen die. And so oneself must die; But there's one thing that never dies, The reputation carried by the dead.” - Hávamál, Stanza 78

"If you want to be very wise, be happy at home, and cheerful with a guest​. Cultivate wisdom, a good memory, and eloquence, and speak kind words often. You’ll be called a fool if you've nothing to say — that’s the mark of the unwise" - Hávamál, Stanza 103

"It is better not to pray at all than to pray for too much; nothing will be given that you won't repay. It is better to sacrifice nothing than to offer too much." - Hávamál, Stanza 145

"It is better to fight and fall than to live without hope." - The Saga of the Volsungs, c.12.

"We often regret saying too much and seldom regret saying too little" - The saga of Freysgothi, c.7.

"There is more honor in accumulating little by little than in reaching for the sky and ending up flat on your face." - Vatnsdæla Saga, c.7

"Wisdom is welcome, wherever it comes from." - Bandamanna Saga, c.10

"Better a brief spell of honour than a long rule of shame." - Laxdaela Saga, c.29

"Where fault can be found, the good is oft ignored." - Njal’s Saga

HEALTH BENEFITS OF POSITIVE THINKING

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

> Increased life span
> Lower rates of depression
> Lower levels of distress and pain
> Greater resistance to illnesses
> Better psychological and physical well-being
> Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke
> Reduced risk of death from cancer
> Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions
> Reduced risk of death from infections
> Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
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IDENTIFYING NEGATIVE THINKING

Not sure if your self-talk is positive or negative? Some common forms of negative self-talk include:

> Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all the positive ones. For example, you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. That evening, you focus only on your plan to do even more tasks and forget about the compliments you received.

> Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.

> Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst without facts that the worse will happen. The drive-through coffee shop gets your order wrong, and then you think that the rest of your day will be a disaster.

> Blaming. You try to say someone else is responsible for what happened to you instead of yourself. You avoid being responsible for your thoughts and feelings.

> Saying you "should" do something. You think of all the things you think you should do and blame yourself for not doing them.

> Magnifying. You make a big deal out of minor problems.

> Perfectionism. Keeping impossible standards and trying to be more perfect sets yourself up for failure.

> Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad. There is no middle ground.
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FOCUSING ON POSITIVE THINKING

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice — you're creating a new habit, after all. Following are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

> Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's work, your daily commute, life changes or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way. Think of a positive thought to manage your stress instead of a negative one.

> Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.

> Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.

> Follow a healthy lifestyle. Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can also break it up into 5- or 10-minute chunks of time during the day. Exercise can positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. Get enough sleep. And learn techniques to manage stress.

> Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.

> Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.