“Our attitude towards life determines life’s attitude
towards us.” [ii]
The fact is
optimistic people tend to experience much greater personal joy on a day-to-day
basis than their pessimistic counterparts.
The prospect of
a longer healthier life is also a scientifically proven benefit of living with
an optimistic and positive attitude. In contrast, a negative, pessimistic
mindset has been shown to contribute to scores of health challenges including
immune disorders, cancer, and heart problems…
Learning to
maintain a positive attitude during stressful times can be challenging…Let’s
consider eleven simple steps you can start using immediately to move you in a
more optimistic direction.
1.
Think Gratitude - A
grateful mindset
exerts a powerful influence on your outlook…As you focus more on what you are
grateful for in your life (even the really small blessings), you will worry
less about anything that may be lacking…
“Gratitude is not only the greatest
of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” [iii]
2.
Choose
Happiness - Being happy is not about circumstances or any other outside
force. Happiness is a decision we make…Fold it around [you] like a big
comfortable blanket.
“The greatest part of our happiness
depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.” [iv]
3.
Substitute
Challenges for Problems - Instead of trying to repair a
malfunction, your resources are recruited to search for a new opportunity.
Seeing an experience as a challenge will focus your attention on a positive
outcome.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in
every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”[v]
4.
View Life as a
Journey - A journey is an adventure of discovery. When we are on a
journey we don’t fear change, we welcome it…This is the perfect positive
attitude to carry with you every day.
5.
Stop and Smell
the Roses - When you constantly feel rushed and scattered, it can be
difficult to maintain an optimistic outlook…By pausing briefly to really taste
your food or enjoy a beautiful piece of music, you remind yourself of the joy
of simplicity.
“It is always wise to stop wishing
for things long enough to enjoy the fragrance of those now flowering.” [vi]
6.
Begin Your Day
On a Positive Note - Find a few minutes each morning to
clear your mind, and then think positive thoughts about the upcoming day… Let your optimistic and positive
attitude flow into your entire day.
7.
Be Positively
Aware - Make it a habit to actively search for the positive side of
everything…Being alert to all the reasons to feel optimistic about your life
also helps move your attention away from the negative side of life.
“When you change the way you look at
things, the things you look at change.” [vii]
8.
Act Out Happy -
You can use words and body language to program your nervous system…Our personal
perspective takes a lot of clues from how we act. If you act like a happy
optimistic person, your mind accepts that as your reality…
9.
Hang Out With
Optimistic People - Use the power of peer influence to feed your sense of
optimism. The positive attitude of the people around you can be a powerful
force for good…
10.
Do A Gratitude
Review Nightly - This is a great way to end your
day. Before you go to bed think of at least ten things that you are truly
grateful for…
“Reflect each day on all you have to
be grateful for and you will receive more to be grateful for.” [viii]
11.
Minimize
Exposure to Negative Influences - Stop watching,
reading, or listening to the news. If you can free yourself from this negative
influence it will change your life. Without that pervasive daily dose of
despair, you will find it so much easier to be optimistic and to focus on
positive things in life.[ix]
[i] The definition of “cop an attitude” is to show that one
believes he (or she) is more important (or better) than other people by
behaving in a rude (or unpleasant) way… Google Answers
[ii] Quote by Earl
Nightingale
[iii] Quote by Cicero
[iv] Quote by Martha
Washington
[v] Quote by Winston
Churchill
[vi] Quote by Patrice
Gifford
[vii] Quote by Max
Planck
[viii] Quote by Chuck
Danes
[ix] Adapted from the article, “11 Steps to a More
Optimistic and Positive Attitude” (advancedlifeskills.com)
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