It is normally believed that optimism means being positive and hopeful irrespective of the situation, which is perfectly true. But, when your world has turned upside down and things have messed up, how will positivity and hopefulness emerge within you?
It is impossible to describe optimism in just one word, it is a process which converts your outlook and blesses you with a fruitful approach to implement.
First, we need to understand what optimism is, because the feeling of hopefulness, confidence, buoyancy, positiveness, and cheerfulness arrives after you’re an optimist.
So, how to become an optimist?
THE WAY TO OPTIMISM….!
Optimism is an “acceptance” of the present moment with a positive outlook towards the future. Normally, when we are told to be positive or have hopes, the biggest thing that hinders our positive thinking is the non-acceptance of the present.
Let me explain it to you through an example.
There is a student who fails in an examination. The behavior of the student as an optimist and as a pessimist is described below.
A Pessimist – WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO!
Normally a pessimist is the one who focuses purely on the negative part and cannot look beyond it. In short, pessimist gets stuck on the negative and refuses to explore further.
Being a pessimist the student will get stuck on the “failure” part and will avoid going beyond it. Due to his resistance towards the acceptance of reality, he/she will waste time and energy in thinking over and over again about why he failed. Continuous thinking towards that aspect will also create a negative and obstructive outlook towards future.
An Optimist – WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO!
Optimistic individual first faces the reality, accepts it and then sets out to discover what can be done to improve the situation.
The optimistic student will accept that he/she has failed and would further move on to look around for the reasons for failure and eliminate them for achieving better results. By accepting the failure, he/she has saved a lot of energy and time from fighting against reality. The smartness of an optimist lies in not hanging on to the negative aspect but acknowledging its existence and moving ahead with the lesson it taught.
This kind of approach by the student will instantly develop a feeling of positivity and confidence regarding the future and present situation, in turn giving him a tag of an “Optimist”.
Thus, Optimism can be practiced by a shift of opinion and response towards the situation.
FURTHER EFFECTS OF OPTIMISM
When you are an optimist you will always be focused on solving issues instead of bragging about the problems. As we all know that thoughts affect our actions and our life is defined by our actions. Thus, with solution-oriented thoughts, our life will be simple, happy and stress-free.
I have always heard people complaining after a few days of trial that, “No matter how much positive I act, there are always problems popping up from somewhere in my life”. Well then, optimism is not about having an easy & problem-free life, but rather it is an attitude of finding a way out irrespective of the situation.
You cannot just sit there and say “I am positive” “I am positive” and expect the problems to run away. No! It won’t happen. Nothing will happen unless you make it happen.
So, to inculcate optimism within you, I would like you to do the following practice, next time you face a tough situation:
Wiring optimism in you:
- Whatever the situation is, think of the worst outcome that can happen.
- Accept that worst outcome and its consequences in your mind. (This will also eliminate any kind of fear you have with that situation)Don’t get stuck on the worst outcome. PLEASE!
- Now, think about what can be done further to improve the situation. Think about the best thing that you could do out of that situation. (Knowing the worst outcome and accepting it will give you a relief and you will be able to think about other alternatives which can turn that adverse situation into favorable.)
- Implement
If it becomes difficult for you to remember, you may write this down and keep it at your desk, or stick it at any place in your room or a place where you spend most of your time. Every time you follow this mindset while dealing with issues in your day to day life, your mind will be wired to think in this way. Then it will become a habit and there you go, you’re an opportunity finder in every situation of your life!
“Optimism is the essence of every fighter; the belief that no matter what, you’ll find a way to win”
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash
