Maintaining an optimistic state of mind can have positive benefits for your health.
As we all know in life, sometimes things are going great, and sometimes things are slightly ‘less than great’. There are highs and lows to everyone’s life, and unfortunately during those lows it becomes increasingly easier to fall prey to pessimism. Unfortunately, negativity in any aspect can have effects on our mental state of mind and cause anxiety, stress, and depression.
Naturally, the way to combat this is with optimism, however optimism isn’t always the easiest thing to achieve and maintain.
Optimism just means that you tend to view events in your life positively, and strive for the most favorable outcome to setbacks. An optimistic point of view will allow you to bounce back from life’s many hurdles, and generally lead to better health and a longer life, but how can you achieve and maintain positivity when there are so many bad things in the world? The answer, of course, is practice.
READ MORE: Five Ways to Be More Grateful
The following tips will help you find the optimism that is already inside you, and put it to practice every day.
-Don’t be afraid to be grateful, and to express your gratitude every day. You can write down what you are thankful for, or share it with your peers. This will remind you of how much you really have to be thankful for and cast your life in a positive light.
-Remind yourself of your accomplishments. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a winning lacrosse game, or managing to get your kids to school on time, little accomplishments occur throughout the day and are worth small celebrations.
-Don’t be afraid to smile, especially at strangers. It’s been proven that smiles cause a reflex in others, so basically smiles actually are contagious. Bringing a modicum of happiness to a stranger’s life will ultimately bring more optimism to yours.
-Police your thoughts. It is VERY easy to get bogged down by negativity or pessimistic thoughts. Any time you catch yourself judging someone, or thinking negative things, remind yourself that optimism is a choice, and you can decide whether or not you want to give in to such temptations.
Positivity, like a smile, is contagious, so if you make these small changes in your own life, they are likely to spread to the people around you and create a happier life for you overall.
