The benefits of optimism
What you say to yourself when you experience stress or adversity influences your performance, your mood and your physical well-being. Researchers have studied optimists and pessimists and have found that there are many advantages to an optimistic view. Optimism is linked to happiness and achievement. It improves health, reduces susceptibility to disease and enhances recovery. Optimistic students often get better grades and optimistic salespeople sell more.
Learned optimism
Optimism is a way of thinking and a skill that can be learned by challenging your thought patterns.
Stop for a moment and think. How do you define a glass of water filled half way?
Is the glass half full or half empty?
It is both, but you will be much better off if you think it is half-full.
What you need is willingness and a few extra minutes to consistently examine your thoughts and focus on the positive perspective.
Reflection and application
The next time something positive happens in your life, stop and analyze your thought process:
The next time something bad happens to you:
Exercise
Looking back:
Bonus
Create and practice five positive affirmations daily.
Here are some suggestions:
Keep a gratitude journal
Optimists amplify positive thinking through appreciation. Writing a gratitude journal will help you focus on what you have instead of what you lack of and your difficulties.
What seems impossible one minute becomes, through faith possible the next
Norman Vincent Peale