Are you a glass-half-empty or half-full sort of person? Are you grateful for what you have, or do you complain about what you lack?
You may wonder why I am asking you such questions. But you really need to ask yourself and introspect what kind of a person you are. It will help you know yourself better, and you will be able to understand your attitude towards life.
Also, you will get to know whether you take the circumstances that come in your life with a pinch of sugar or a grain of salt. In simple words, you will see whether you have a positive mindset or not.
What is Optimism?
Optimism is not only about a positive attitude, but it is about how you deal with the challenges that come your way. It is about how efficiently and effortlessly you handle the situations.
One is not supposed to have positive thoughts, but seeing the light even in the darkest of situations is what optimism is all about.
Life may throw lemons at you, but it is upon you to decide whether to make lemonade out of it or let them bang on your head. Also, being picky about the people you spend your time with and the information you let influence your mind. It will have a huge effect on your attitude and thinking about things.
What does an optimistic life feel like?
Just because you often get negative thoughts all the time does not mean that you are destined to always be a pessimist. It’s completely fine to have contradictory feelings. If you will not have adverse opinions, how will you question them, and if nothing to ask, how will you learn and grow in your life.
Nothing in life feels like a problem when you have a positive mindset. It is more like a challenge, like the one you would be excited to overcome. On the other hand, it’s hard to see the positives in life and become an optimist when you’re lost in the murky waters of negative thinking. Negative thoughts are those parasites that suck your energies.
When you are stuck in the vicious spiral of negative thoughts, just question your thoughts. The questions we ask ourselves day in and day out, all the uncertain situations make the difference in our life. An optimist asks him/herself the questions that open up the mind to new viewpoints and possibilities.
Making a conscious effort towards an optimist lifestyle not only shifts your viewpoint in the short term, but it may actually train your brain to think more positively.
Don’t we train our brains to learn new things, for example, a new game? Likewise, we can train our minds to look for positivity even under challenging situations.
What are its benefits?
- Health Benefits- You hardly stress over things when you have a positive mindset. When your mind is calm, there are fewer chances of attracting diseases, especially mental health issues. A recent study has found that “70,000 women from 2004 to 2012 and found that those who were optimistic had a significantly lower risk of dying from several major causes of death.”
- Better quality of life- a positive mindset works like magic. Your optimism will prevent you from investing your energies in unnecessary things. It will help you focus on better things in life and help in your growth. It also contributes to your personality development. And guess what all you need is to divert your mind towards better thoughts and see how it will change your life. Sometimes, you cannot change the situations in your life, but you can certainly change how you look at those situations.
- Better management- you might often observe that sometimes even little things take a lot of our time and energy. We keep stressing over them even if they are not that big or do not affect our life on a large scale. With an optimistic attitude, we can re-engage our energies and manage things better.
- More minor mental health issues- When you start thinking positively, you don’t stress over things. Which prevents you from anxiety and nervousness. Almost every one of us faces some kind of mental health issue these days. So, if a small change can help us get over it, why not give it a try.
- Better company- When you have a positive mindset, you get wary of people who give you negative energies. This is a way to ensure that you are surrounded by people who uplift you and motivate you to do better.
How to Be Optimistic When the World Around You Isn’t?
- Start noticing who you spend time with on a daily basis.
- Start connecting to people who are optimistic and grounded in life. You will start to be affected by their positive energy.
- Read books that teach you new ways to stay positive and raise your vibrations. Books are the best teachers.
- Writing down what you are grateful for is linked to greater feelings of optimism. You should have a gratitude journal and try to write down all the things you are thankful for.
- While some people may be unable to deal with uncertainty, positive individuals are able to adapt and thrive. Accept what you can and cannot control in the situation. There is no reason to stress over things you cannot control.
- Practicing mindfulness is a great way to help combat the tendency to ruminate over daily stressors, breeding for negativity.
7 Books that will help you change your mindset
In the list below, you’ll find some of the best mindset books I’ve discovered on beating those odds.
- As a Man Thinketh- As a Man, Thinketh is the #1 ranking, uplifting, pocket-sized pep-talk on the power and importance of changing your thoughts as the cornerstone to changing your life – by philosopher and prolific self-help author, James Allen.
- Think and grow rich- Think and Grow Rich is a best-selling book of all time and a cornerstone guide to the Law of Attraction and the role of the subconscious in transforming your life – by a titan of the self-help genre, Napoleon Hill.
- The Magic of Thinking Big– The Magic of Thinking Big is a powerful, practical, and uplifting book to help get you out of a rut, invigorate your goals and empower you towards success – by life-long motivational writer and coach, David J. Schwartz.
- How to stop worrying and start living- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living is a practical, common-sense bible filled with stories, case studies, and simple step-by-step guides to conquering worry, anxiety, and depression – by self-development guru Dale Carnegie.
- The Four Agreements– The Four Agreements is a provocative and mind-altering Toltec guide to waking up and finding peace in our imaginary world – by a retired surgeon, author, and Eagle-Knight shaman Don Miguel Ruiz.
- The Inner Game of Tennis- The Inner Game of Tennis is an insightful and knowledgeable guide to optimizing natural learning and performance with applied mindfulness – by author, speaker, and ex-Harvard tennis captain, W. Timothy Gallwey.
- Wooden- A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court Wooden set out John Wooden’s effort-and-integrity-focused personal philosophy – spanning family, achievement, success, and excellence – by UCLA’s famous philosopher-coach, John Wooden, and author, Steve Jamison.
Conclusion
Indeed, positive thinking isn’t magic, and it won’t make all of your problems disappear. It will make problems seem more manageable and help you approach hardships more positively and productively. It is rightly said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” — Maria Robinson.
