It’s not easy being human. Our lives are filled with countless ups and downs and although we yearn for a sense of control, we live each day never really know what is going to happen next. We seek to live lives filled with pleasure and try at all costs to limit pain — but we inevitably experience our fair share of both. The awareness and acceptance of this fundamental reality is what differentiates us from almost all other species and provides a unique challenge for our existence — how do we live a happy life knowing that our good times won’t last forever, the crap will eventually hit the fan, and we will all shuffle off this mortal coil someday in the not so distant future? There are lots of different answers to ponder, but I believe the simplest and most profound one lies in one word — OPTIMISM.
The ability to put optimism front and center can transform your life. Like religion or any other belief you hold to be true, being an optimist requires faith — a faith that no matter what, everything is going to be okay and that even in your darkest moments, the light will still find a way to get in. Of course, there’s no guarantee that it will (hence the faith part), but no matter what, the optimistic mindset will help you see solutions to problems, alleviate stress and avoid dwelling in a pessimistic state of mind. Best of all, optimism can be a force that spreads throughout the world. Think about the most optimistic person you know and I bet that when you and others are around them, their spirit is contagious. People like to be around optimists because it makes them feel better. On the flip side, we all know what it’s like to be around a pessimist — their glass is always half full, they tend to doubt any new idea and aren’t very much fun.
There are always going to be times when pessimism creeps into your life, but I believe with every ounce of my being that the one power we all have is the ability to reevaluate our perspective and shift into an optimistic state. However, the ability to do so takes commitment and lots of practice. We are all the product of what we focus the most on and I believe that optimism is like a muscle we can train. Here are a few ideas for how to cultivate a more optimistic mindset:
1) Do an Optimist/Pessimist Audit: Make a list of the most optimistic and pessimistic forces in your life. This will be a little weird, but you need to diagnose pessimism and develop a plan to treat it. Determine what things you can get rid of immediately and make a decision to rid yourself of them. Of course, we can’t just hit delete on every person and thing. For those, spend a few minutes and determine a plan for how you will respond when those forces surface. Maya Angelou said it best, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Conversely, determine who and what are the most optimistic/positive things in your life and commit to overdosing on those things. Optimism is like Kale; you can’t get enough of it.
2) Listen to Positive Music: Music has an amazing ability to change the way we think and feel. Put together a playlist of the most positive, uplifting music that you love and listen to it at least once a day. It can be one song or a dozen, all that matters is that you do it EVERY day. My go-to song of the moment is “Everything’s Coming Our Way” by Santana: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEm2afF8Iyo).
***DISCLAIMER: Feel free to dance as needed. Dancing never got anyone in trouble (unless you lived in the town from Footloose).
3) Practice Gratitude: When you wake up in the morning, take 5 minutes and write down 3 things you are grateful for. We often lose sight of just how amazing our lives are (I’m literally typing this while sitting in a flying chair 30K feet above the ground). Doing this exercise in the morning helps get your mind focused on all the good things happening in your world and sets you up to have a positive day.
4) Smile More: It’s been written about a lot, but don’t underestimate the power that smiling can have on your life. This most basic human expression has been shown to reduce stress hormone levels, lower blood pressure and stimulate our brain’s reward mechanisms more than eating chocolate. This TED talk about the power of smiling is worth checking out:
These are just a few ideas to get you started. I hope they help cultivate more optimism in your life. If you found my article inspiring, it would be amazing if you hit the share button so we can get the message out to more people. Thanks for reading.
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