This is not the answer you are looking for. But it is just as useful

Positive thinking is for the most part a reverse approach to the intended outcome that positive thinking is supposed to produce.

Feeling is what drives the thinking in autopilot mode.

We have been taught by mainstream psychology that if you think positive you will feel positive and then in this group we agree that when we feel positive we attract positive.

The problem is the sequence of steps.

Think positive - feel positive - attract positive

When think positive is the first step you have to watch the nature of your thoughts. Once you stop consciously choosing to think positive thoughts you drift slowly back to your normal state before you started thinking positive.

Why is this?

It's because feeling is what drives the thinking.

What happens is that when you feel first....this drives a vibrational match between your current state of being & your consciousness database & the unlimited potential within creation.....ideas and thoughts will emerge that will vibrationally match your feeling & MOST IMPORTANTLY REINFORCE YOUR FEELING WITH A PICTURE OF REALITY IN YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE FORM OF THOUGHTS, DREAMS, VISIONS, AND MEMORIES.

The thoughts, dreams, memories, and VISIONS then give birth to new gatherings of thought forms and start to attract more situations of a similar "FEELING" so that you can again and again manifest more of that "FEELING".

So the real approach should not be positive thinking, but positive feeling.

However if you have forgotten how it feels to be positive, then a positive memory should be used to re-live that feeling. But once you lock into the feeling, drop the thinking and hold the feeling instead.

Doing this will also open you up to new possibilities that are not available to your thinking mind.

Thinking limits you to only what you can give meaning to within what you already know.

Feeling opens you up to what is beyond your accumulated knowledge. This works better when you refuse to think or latch on to pre-conceived understandings.

I think you're looking for more of a scientific,fact based answer on how it actually works. I don't think I'm qualified or even know enough to provide such an answer. However, from my understanding thought is , indubitably, a form of energy ( I think even the scientific world is coming to this conclusion). When we put a thought out into the ether it attaches to a similar one and comes back to us, resonating with the frequency we're vibrating at. Hence, we can't put a positive thought out there and attract a negative one back and vice-versa - like attracts like.

This is why it's generally easier to stay on the freqency you're at and can take quite a bit of mental work to adjust that frequency. When someone is on a positive roll or upward spiral, things seem to come very easily to them because the thoughts they are putting out there are attaching to similar ones and because thought with feeling eventually manifests in physical form, their life is a reflection of their thoughts. The same thing happens with the negative thinking or downward spiral except the outcome is usually what the person doesn't want but when they are honest with themselves and look closely enough, they will see that it is a perfect match to their way of thinking.It can all be summed up with that wonderful saying - "change your mind, change your life".

After reading Traveller's answer something else sprung to mind. His emphasis on feeling first made me realize that in fact we don't even have to try to let go of the negative thinking to get to a place of positive thinking. If we do as Traveller suggests and work on the feeling first, the negative thoughts let go of or are not attracted to us.

About 15 years ago, I applied the visualization by writing specifically what type of husband I wanted and I actually sent it through a newspaper dating service (this was before the explosion of the internet).

God sent me my wonderful husband with much of the attributes plus much more. You must remain in the positive and not accept anything less than what you ask for.

The last few years, I have allowed the devil to manipulate my thinking (the ways of this world) and my life has reflected this negative thinking.

I have gotten back on track finally and submitting my thoughts and prayer to the Lord and the power of positive thinking (through Jesus Christ) has again brought wonderful results.

Read “Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale, actually it is this book that changed my life, and belief in the power of positive thinking, and how it works. It is also an excellent read, and it will answer all of your questions about positive thinking.

I agree with LeeAnn, besides I realized that problems will not go away by being depressed so why bother. Now when I have a major problem I ask myself "is anything happening right this minute regarding this problem?" e.g. am I talking to the bank collector right now and he is demanding bill payment? If the answer is "No" then I tell myself let me be happy in this particular moment when the bank call I'll handle it no point in wasting th thousands of seconds I have available till then in being miserable. And somehow it seems to work, I get better ideas on how to handle the problem or think of people I can ask for help etc.

Joseph Murphy is considered the father of positive thinking. The mechanics behind positive thinking is unlocking the power of the subconscious mind. Which is the title of one of his books. Positive thinking uses Affirmation (autosuggestion to change beliefs) Visualization techniques were also discovered or taught. His role and contribution to the New Thought Movement enriched the lives of many. Overcoming toxic parent syndrome False belief systems about your existence and many more. The mechanic of positive thinking is the Law of Resonance. Think of a tuning fork vibrating at its frequency being brought into proximity to another tuning fork. They will both begin to vibrate. In the mental evolution of the new thought movement, progress has being made, what was written about positive feeling is very correct. In the German language The Happiness trainer Ella Kensington (Bodo Deletz) has evolved Positive thinking to include Positive Feeling. His last novel was a Great success over here but from my knowledge he is only teaching in the German language. At one time there were training camps in Spain and Hawaii but they closed to return to Germany for whatever reason.

From Ella Kinsington The Seven Messages of our Soul, German Language. 1. I am what I experience 2. You experience what you think. 3. I think what I feel 4. I feel what I believe 5. I believe what I will (freedom) 6. I will do what I love 7. I love what I am Each Chapter is and in-depth explanation
www.ella.org only in German though.

Here is what I believe, Jai...when you change your thinking for the positive, then you in turn change your behavior, demeanor, decision-making, health and more. I don't think there have to be any mysterious explanations. Then when you change your behavior, the attitude of others towards you changes, you become more fun and uplifting to be around. When you make healthier and better decisions, then things start going your way more often, and most things in your life will cascade towards the better.

In terms of mechanics, I would explain it this way: Thought is energy and it is also magnetic. When we put out a positive or negative thought it will attract similar energy. Another important aspect of this is that the thought must be concentrated and consistent. The stronger yout thoughts are the faster the manifestation will occur and this can work opposite as well. If you do not believe or if you keep changing your mind it will take longer to get what you desire.

Best way i can describe it is that your mind or subconscious/spiritual mind thinks a thought( habitually ) that in turn becomes impressed on the All Mind/God whatever or whoever you call it or Him.THIS mind then works to bring about the eventual manifestation.Your mind is a part of this mind ( not all of it ) and has shared access to this great minds power. It isnt our power but it does work thru us by virtue of the fact that we are one with this Mind/God. If we were not in some way INTIMATELY joined to this mind then thought/positive thought or indeed prayer would be irrelevant. It is because we are so tied in to and part of this mind that our thoughts are channels for this power ( not ours ) to work thru. Even Jesus himself said that he could do NOTHING of himself and that the FATHER did the work/manifesting and power. How exactly does Mind/Spirit ( Gods that is ) do this......Not exactly sure,but im sure He does. Graham