You might be surprised to hear that people are not born optimistic or pessimistic. Optimism and pessimism are ways of looking at yourself and the world through a positive or negative filter. Once you think of them as reflections of your mindset, it becomes much easier to believe that you can change. Like any new behavior, you need to practice every day for it to become a habit. Try these six suggestions to cultivate your optimism every day.
- Keep a journal
Journaling, or keeping a diary, allows you to process events and to get a different perspective on them. It encourages self-reflection and captures insights into your thinking and behavior. You can write down what happened during your day, and document not just the facts, but how you did it, what you did to make it happen, what you did right, what you did wrong, and how it felt while you were doing it. Don’t just record the good things (a promotion, a presentation or meeting that went well). Remember to write down the things that didn’t go so well and reflect on what happened, how you dealt with it, and what you might do differently next time. - Laugh
Consciously notice the funny side of things and write them down. If the slide show wouldn’t work, or the power went out, or there was a fire drill in the middle of your meeting (although that’s a plus in my opinion ;-). What can seem like a disaster at the time can also be looked back on as a comedy of errors. - Write to your future
Write a letter or a journal entry that sets out the future you want. What job are you doing? Are you running your own business? What have you learned? What has changed? Imagining how your future life looks and feels can be a powerful motivator. Or try my Where I Want to Be coloring journal. It’s a way to envision your life 5 years in the future. - Keep a kindness list
Have a page in your journal where you note down kind gestures. Write down when you are kind to someone, or when someone is kind to you. Even little things count, like opening a door for someone or letting them go first in the line for coffee. You’ll be surprised at how quickly they mount up, and your ever-lengthening list will give you a different perspective on things. - Say thank you
Write a letter or email, phone or visit someone (a person outside your family) who has been genuinely kind to you. Tell them how much you appreciate what they did or said and how it has affected your life. - Choose optimism
Make the choice to develop and maintain an optimistic outlook. Do this every morning when you wake up. Decide that today is going to be a great day. Everyone will have some level of suffering in their life. Choosing to be optimistic will make it easier to bounce back from the bad times and to enjoy and be certain of the good times.
How do you maintain a positive outlook? Please leave any tips below.
