How to turn negative thoughts into positive ones... In a recent article in the New York Times, author Jane E Brody offered tips on turning negative thoughts into positive ones. Here are some excerpts: …“well-being can be considered a life skill. If you practice, you can actually get better at it.” By learning and regularly practicing skills that promote positive emotions, you can become a happier and healthier person. Thus, there is hope for people should they choose to take steps to develop and reinforce positivity. In her newest book, “Love 2.0,” Barbara Fredrickson reports that “shared positivity — having two people caught up in the same emotion — may have even a greater impact on health than something positive experienced by oneself.” Consider watching a funny play or movie or TV show with a friend of similar tastes, or sharing good news, a joke or amusing incidents with others. Fredrickson also teaches “lovingkindness meditation” focused on directing good-hearted wishes to others. This can result in people “feeling more in tune with other people at the end of the day,” she said.