Tip 38: Develop an Optimism Habit

The average pencil is seven inches long, with
just a half-inch eraser –
in case you thought optimism was dead.
Robert Brault

There are lots of good reasons to practice an optimistic outlook. Not only do optimists tend to achieve more and are less likely to suffer from stress and depression — they’ve been shown to live longer and recover more quickly from illness.

Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty person? If you tend towards pessimism, there is hope. Optimism is something that can be learned. Here are a few ways to help change your thinking style and develop an optimism habit:

 At the end of each day, write a list, or make a mental note, of everything you’ve achieved that day. Don’t limit it only to ‘big’ things: remembering to post Dad’s birthday card deserves to be on the list as much as finally got my promotion at work. Focusing on achievements is a great habit to get into. It’s a way of appreciating yourself and curbs any natural inclination to get to the end of the day wondering what on earth you’ve achieved, or focusing (as pessimists are wont to do) on everything you’ve failed to do — or haven’t done as well as you’d have liked. Keep this up for at least two weeks and you should notice a real difference.

 Thinking about what’s been good about the day last thing at night has other benefits too. It releases the chemical serotonin in the brain, which helps us to relax and sleep better.

 Take a tip from the Solutions Focus camp (see Tip 34 The Miracle Question) and keep asking yourself What’s Better? Maybe you could schedule a time at the end of each week to do this.

Focusing on the positive not only helps to encourage optimism, it lessens stress and is likely to make us a lot nicer to be around.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,
but it will annoy enough people to
make it worth the effort.
Herm Albright

Most of the shadows of this life are
caused by standing in one's own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson