Why Optimism is So Good For You.

Howdy princess by majorvols

 

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary describes optimism as “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.”  Most of us agree that believing in a positive outcome for the future is a healthy and useful ideal.  But why is that?  Pessimism seems healthy enough – simply an experience-based belief that something may go wrong.  And there’s no harm in being prepared for the worst is there?

But maybe there is.  If you consistently believe that you won’t get the promotion, that you’re not creative enough to get ahead or that you’ll never be a good dancer, these negative thoughts may become your truth.  Our brain believes what it hears repeated day after day, week after week.  So if your thought patterns are routinely in a negative tone, your brain will begin to show you evidence this is true.

How do I know this?  Try this experiment.  Today, watch for the color red.  Just keep your awareness open and note anything with that color in it.  By the end of the day you will be amazed at the huge amount of red cars on the road, the red shirts, purses or shoes people wear and even the red designs and logos that pop out at you.

This exercise helps show us that what we focus on each day does influence our awareness and our world.  It serves us well to pay attention to what frame of mind we possess on a daily basis.  Dealing with life in a pessimistic frame of mind can lead many to obsess on past mistakes, worry about the future, and experience feelings of powerlessness.

Don’t confuse optimism with a Pollyanna viewpoint.  I’m not suggesting that you sugarcoat the troubles in your life and pretend that things are fine when they’re not.  I’m simply recommending that you use optimistic thinking techniques like gratitude, abundance, and flexibility to give you the coping skills you need when the bad times inevitably arrive. 

Optimism is the belief that even if things look bleak, they will get better.  Optimists aren’t the rosy-eyed fools some think.  They are energetic, action-oriented people who use positive actions like exercise, meditation, and goal-setting to get ahead in life.  Because optimists believe that life is good, they also believe that hard work will pay off.  Optimists choose to find the joy in discomfort, the beauty in pain, and the benefit of harsh times.  It’s all about the attitude.

For more information, check out the optimism revolution article here.  Also see the Mayo Clinic article on positive thinking skills.