The classic definition of an optimist is someone who sees the glass half full. On the other hand, a pessimist sees the glass half empty. The problem with the latter is that it can negatively affect multiple areas of your health, not just your mental well-being. Learning to be more optimistic can help you reduce stress, cope with change, and prompt more opportunities.Â
It can be difficult to see the world through an optimistic lens, especially for people who are not inherently optimistic. Additionally, with so much injustice, climate change, natural disasters, and political issues, how can one find positivity in life? Well, optimists don’t simply see rainbows and butterflies and think that the world is problem-free. Instead, optimism involves developing a hopeful outlook that invites positivity and success for a healthier future.Â
Optimism And Your Brain
Researchers attribute positive moods with left-brain activity. Feelings of anger, negativity, or rejection are associated with right-brain activity. The brain may have a predisposition for either positive or negative thinking, according to several psychological studies. Genetics do play a role in outlook, but they do not shape the entire person or way of thinking. If you do find yourself expecting the worst or viewing things in a negative light, you can increase your optimism towards life. Continue reading to learn how.
Minimize Obstacles To Success
It’s very easy for you to get in the way of your own success. Bad habits, low productivity, and negative relationships can prevent you from meeting your goals. If you want to achieve optimism, you have to make steady progress. Feeling stagnant can increase pessimism, so it’s best to limit distractions and avoid temptations. For example, if you like to waste time scrolling through Instagram, power off your phone while you do work. If you’re writing a book, commit to one hour of writing per day and avoid distractions during this time. Consistency yields results!
Give Yourself Credit
There are moments in life when you achieve goals or make things happen. You were able to meet your goals, but did you give yourself credit? If you fail to recognize your strengths that helped you along the way, it’s easy to feel unworthy or pessimistic. Perhaps you spent hours studying for a test and aced it. Acknowledge how prepared you were, but also applaud your intelligence and the dedication it took to pass that test.
Focus On What You Can Control
As you may know, there are many things in life that are completely out of your control. You can look back at past events and spend hours dwelling on what went wrong. It’s also easy to pick apart past events to construct a negative view of the future. These are unproductive actions that will not yield an optimistic outlook. According to psychologists, it’s best to remain in the present moment. This can help you stay more focused and positive, so you can deal with things as they come to you. Focus on what you can do in the present to reach your future goal.
Focus On Solutions, Not Problems
It’s very easy to obsess over a problem and spiral into a fit of negativity. When you only focus on things that go wrong, you start to doubt everything that led to that moment. Instead of doing this, experts recommend asking this question: What can I do to make this situation better? It’s so much easier to resort to negativity, which is why developing an optimistic outlook can be difficult. Focus on solution-based thinking instead of problem-focused thinking. When you focus on solutions, you can move forward and realize possibilities. This is one of the building blocks of optimism.
Nurture A Happy Body
It’s much easier to experience optimism when you feel good. A happy body is a breeding ground for positive thoughts and emotions. Lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and too little exercise can interfere with a happy and healthy body. For optimal mental health, you need to train the body, much like a professional athlete. Focus on sleep, rest, regular exercise, reducing stress levels, and eating healthy foods. Establishing a healthier body may improve mental wellness. Feeling good can help you in more ways than you imagine.
