I like to think of myself as more of an optimistic person as opposed to a pessimistic person. WHY? Because optimism is a far better option and mental “head space” to live in. There are so many benefits to optimism that can enhance your life in numerous ways, especially during today’s tough times.
Optimism provides many tangible benefits to your life, such as:
⦁ LONGEVITY- Many scientific studies have shown that those with a more positive attitude are more likely to live a longer life. Now is this not a simple way to enhance your health and your longevity? You bet it is!
Challenge yourself to find the bright side of things as you go throughout your day.
⦁ HAPPINESS– It’s no surprise here, but optimistic people do tend to be happier. If you live with high expectations, your mood will tend to be better than that of someone that lives with low expectations.
Although happiness can be based on what you perceive or an experience that you have, it still comes down to the CHOICE that you make about what you choose to feel and believe about the situation or experience. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about forcing yourself to feel something or pretending NOT to feel a certain way when you experience life’s circumstances. I am talking about acknowledging it and making a CHOICE to think about the positive things instead of the negative things in that circumstance.
One of my favorite Bible scriptures that I like to meditate on in difficult times is Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (NKJV). It reminds me that although things may not be going well right now, the situation is working in my life a greater purpose to help me become a better person. That is a good thing!
⦁ LESS STRESS– If there was one thing that I could go back and tell my younger self it would be “WARNING! STRESS KILLS!”
Pessimism is stressful. And when you’re stressed, your mood is less stable. You can lack confidence as well.
On the other hand, when you’re optimistic, you experience lower levels of stress. Cortisol does not rule in your body. That optimism causes you to believe and to look for the best in situations and circumstances. You tend to believe that things will usually work out fine. And guess what? They usually do!
⦁ SOLUTION-ORIENTED– Optimistic people are often more focused on solutions than they are on their problems or challenges. This is because they usually believe a solution exists and that they can find it.
Pessimistic people, on the other hand, tend to believe that there’s no hope, so they don’t try to find a way out of their predicament. They may give up quickly because they don’t believe a positive outcome is likely.
Would you be more likely or less likely to keep trying if you expected to fail? What if you expected to win?
⦁ INCREASED CONFIDENCE– When you have high expectations, that’s a form of confidence. You believe you’re going to be successful. That confidence makes you positive or optimistic.
Would you rather be around someone that’s all doom and gloom, or would you prefer to spend time with someone that believes good things are going to happen? You can’t be pessimistic and have self-confidence at the same time.
Additionally, optimistic people are often able to accomplish more each day. Think about it: “Why would you work long and hard if you didn’t think things were going to work out for you?” The hardest workers are often the most optimistic.
⦁ GREATER LEVEL OF SUCCESS– If you’re happier, less stressed, more productive, solution-oriented, have more confidence, and live longer, success is a logical result. You’re setting yourself up to win! How awesome is that?
⦁ STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS– Lastly, it’s easier to get along with people and to be a good friend or a good partner if you’re optimistic. What type of person would you rather be close to, someone positive or someone negative?
You may or may not consider yourself to be an optimistic person. But you do get to make a choice each day…To be or not to be? Optimistic or Pessimistic?
All you must do is to try to find the positive perspective. Ask yourself questions that fuel a positive perspective, such as the following:
⦁ What can I learn from this? What benefit can I get out of this?
⦁ What if I choose to believe and focus on the good in this situation?
⦁ What is good in my life right now?
Try to look for solutions rather than focus on your challenges. Choose optimism as a way of life. With so many incredible benefits to be gained, challenge yourself to grow and to be better by giving optimism and optimistic thinking a serious try for the next 30 days. And if you falter, get back up and try again. It may take some time but I promise, you’ll like the way you feel and those good vibes that you’re spreading will come back to bless you!