Wear Shirts with Positive Messages: Science Says So

At first, it may seem trivial to consider that wearing shirts with positive messages matters. But once you review the scientific evidence (no joke), you’ll look at sayings on clothes in a whole new way. Even if you don’t get an inspirational slogan tee yourself, you may get a blank instead of spreading negative language. As the saying goes: “Speak only if what you’ve got to say is more beautiful than silence.” Perhaps we can apply the same principle to our clothing choices.

Can your shirt say something about you?

There are likely three types of tops in your wardrobe: basic blank tops that you can wear with almost anything, at least one branded shirt that you had to save up for, and a few slogan tees that may reflect your inner world.

Blank tee

Stay Classy: This is your essential staple with no logos or text; you wear it as part of an outfit. It’s the perfect canvas to express your style without distractions. Just check out this Pinterest guide on how to style your timeless blank white tee.

Branded tee

Make a Statement: This staple may need no styling as it is an accent in and of itself. It serves as a status symbol and may be a way to signal an affiliation with a particular group of people. While some may view them as superficial, it’s important to recognize that branded items hold deep personal significance for many people. They can represent hard work and achievements. It’s more than just a garment; it’s a story of how they got to own it.

Slogan tee

Express Yourself: The third wardrobe staple is slogan t-shirts. This category likely says most about who you are and what you like. T-shirts with sayings can be lighthearted and reveal your sense of humor. Just think back to tops Rachel wore in Friends or Cooper’s graphic tees in Eurotrip. 

But slogan tees also offer a unique opportunity to express yourself. T-shirts with sayings can be a way to show what you value and express your attitude and beliefs. Shirts can even be a political statement, a way to spread awareness or stand up for serious causes.

Why is choosing shirts with positive messaging important?

While the choice of slogan tees is based on personal preferences, it’s also worth considering the potential influence of the messages we wear. Studies in positive psychology have shown that exposure to positive words can boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being. But it works the opposite way, too. Negative words can trigger the release of stress-inducing hormones (hello, anxiety ☹️).

Where to draw the line with funny slogan tees?

If it’s not the language I would use to cheer up my child (or my inner child), then it’s not going on a Mantra Staples shirt.

While there’s a time and place for shirts with more provocative messages, tough love is not a category I would add to positive psychology shirts. I understand that people use swear words to motivate themselves, but I think the sentiment is still off when it comes to daily wear, as you’re essentially sharing these words and messages with the world. And the science actually says that there is enough negative messaging as is. Let’s look at the research.

“By shifting our language from worry to optimism, we maximize our potential to succeed at any realistic goal we truly desire.”

Andrew B. Newberg

The Research on Negative Messages

As positive psychology trailblazer, Shawn Anchor puts it, “As a society, we know very well how to be unwell and miserable and so little about how to thrive.” He shares that in the early days of positive psychology, studies on depression and disorder outnumbered those on happiness by a staggering 17 to 1. Even today, bad news far outweighs good news by as much as seventeen negative news reports for every good news report.

Admittedly, people increasingly rely on social media for information. While positive representations of people’s lives dominate these platforms, they still contribute to negative emotions like low self-esteem due to unhealthy social comparisons.

Consuming negative messages can lead to anxiety, lower mood, and learned helplessness. The more negative words and thoughts surround you, the more you damage processes responsible for regulating your memory, feelings, and emotions. The impact extends to your sleep quality, appetite, and overall health.

However, “as long as bad things have not vanished from the face of the earth, there will always be enough incidents to fill the news, especially when billions of smartphones turn most of the world’s population into crime reporters and war correspondents,” says psychologist Steven Pinker.

Given this, we must be mindful of our mental habits and filter the information we consume. Why? Because the language and words you use can change your brain for better or worse.

The Research on Positive Messages

First, let’s not feel bad about being negative-first thinkers. The human brain is predisposed to worry, which has helped our ancestors be constantly alert to threats. As a result, the brain naturally prioritizes negative thoughts due to their perceived survival value. As mentioned above, we also receive a lot more negative messaging through the information channels we consume.

It’s not bad. This insight just gives us context for where we’re at so we can make progress. 

Luckily, just as we can consume negativity and reduce our happiness levels, positive words and thoughts have been proven to make us feel better and even inspire positive action.

The challenge? To counterbalance the negative-first tendencies, you need to generate at least three (ideally five) positive thoughts for each negative phrase or gesture. Saying “I’m disappointed” while making a sad face count as two negative actions. And watch out for what you feed your brain. I believe each negative news story or social media experience would count as one, too.

Incorporating Positive Messages in Your Life

Our surroundings significantly influence our mood and overall well-being. As Shawn Achor points out in The Happiness Advantage, it’s crucial to curate an environment filled with positive messages, images, and symbols that uplift us whenever we see them. This can be anything from a family photo on your office desk to a positive message on your top.

Andrew B. Newberg shares the belief (based on research findings) that focusing on positive words and images reduces anxiety, and the number of negative unconscious thoughts declines. “Using language to help us reflect on positive ideas and emotions, we can enhance our overall well-being and improve the function of our brain,“ he says.

Find positive words that resonate

To ensure that positive words indeed turn on stress-reducing hormones you have to choose ones that resonate with you. Avoid going with something just ebcause it is a trending phrase unless it resonates with you.

Ask yourself, what’s important to you and go from there, otherwise, it doesn’t really work, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found.

For example, to me, a very calming sense comes from the word “grace”. But for others, the same word can feel offputting and tinted with religious ideas, which is an issue if they are not indeed religious. To help you find positive words that resonate, I’ve linked Positive Word Research where you’ll find more than 6,000 words designed to uplift and inspire.

“If you intensely focus on a word like “peace” or “love”, the emotional centers in the brain calm down. The outside world hasn’t changed at all, but you will still feel more safe and secure.”

Andrew B. Newberg

Try positive self-talk

You can turn positive words into self-affirmations once you have positive words in mind. These are positive statements used to challenge negative thoughts and boost self-esteem. Research has shown that positive affirmations can reduce stress, increase physical activity, and improve academic performance. Practice positive self-talk regularly to enjoy lifelong satisfaction, as leading happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky advises.

Don’t worry, the self-affirmation theory doesn’t imply that you have to tell yourself how awesome you are (although you may be). It’s about reminding yourself that you are an adequate, competent, and good enough human being.

Build positive habits

You may struggle to find space in your daily routine to incorporate positive self-talk. This is where I suggest using the habit stacking principle. To ensure you get into a habit of positive self-affirmations, you should say them right before or after something that already comes naturally to you. Or make it a part of something you already do.

For example, if you practice yoga or deep breathing, you can use the power of repetitive prayer such as reciting a mantra. Using words such as love or gratitude has been proven to turn on genes that lower physical and emotional stress.  Strong evidence has also been found that practicing mantra meditation relieves stress and helps people cope with hypertension. 

However, the activity can be just as simple as cheering yourself up in your mind while brushing your teeth. This gives you at least two minutes in the morning and another two in the afternoon to rewrite your negative mental chatter.

Wear shirts with positive messages

Have you heard of the expression seeing is believing? Well, research says that seeing a list of positive words for a few seconds can make even make a highly anxious and depressed person feel better.

Incorporating positive messages into your surroundings, whether through clothing or other items, can be a powerful source of inspiration for yourself and others.

Mantra Staples store was born out of my love for positive psychology, self-help, yoga, and wearing positive messages as a daily source of inspiration, strength, and gratitude. What started as a personal thing has become a mission to spread the power of positive messaging through my store.

Create a gratitude journal

A daily gratitude journal is another great place to start your positivity journey. Especially, as numerous studies have confirmed that practicing gratitude is a sure way to reduce stress and overcome challenges.

Once a day, take a few minutes to write down at least one thing you’re grateful for. “Most people who try that for two weeks might be really surprised at their experience and how there may be surprising carry-over effects,” says David Creswell, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University who researches self-affirmation.

Final word

The material world changes. Yet, even after thousands of years, our mind is still the same minefield as centuries ago when Marcus Aurelius was journaling to process his thoughts.

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

Marcus Aurelius

The timeless wisdom of various authors and spiritual and religious texts overlaps. It often emphasizes that while we can’t prevent bad things from happening, we should not dwell on the negative, as that only adds weight to the experience. Negative events may just last a moment, but if we continuously replay them in our minds, they can lead to a lifetime of suffering.

Research shows that we can overcome this negative thinking. We just need to find new channels for overwriting the negative patterns and feeding our brains with positive ideas. At least, we should not add to the negative information already dominating.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

Dalai Lama

While practicing positive self-talk or keeping a personal gratitude log will help you increase positivity in your own life, by choosing clothing with positive messages, you can send a positive message to the world. This can serendipitously inspire others and help those around you balance the negative vs positive thoughts ratio.

While I personally love positive clothing (obviously) and believe it can be a powerful tool, I do recognize that it’s not a magic solution. It’s one piece of the puzzle, and when combined with other positive practices, it can create a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

While you might not wear a slogan tee for yourself, opting for a blank shirt instead of one with negative messages can help outweigh the already plenty of negative messages. Remember, every small act of positivity can make a difference. So, the next time you’re choosing a shirt, think about the message it sends and the impact it could have.

I hope this blog convinced you to introduce more positive language in your life. In what way are you going to do this? Is it going to be positive self-talk, gratitude journal, wearing your inspiration, or another way? Share in the comments.