5 Techniques to Increase Your Optimistic Perspective on Life
Plus 2 helpful books and 15 motivating quotes.
How we view our lives, or our point of view, plays an important role in how excited we are about our future. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Do you see the proverbial glass as half-full or half-empty? Are we able to change our perspective?
Optimist vs. Pessimist
Pessimism is an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome¹, whereas optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome².
In light of the events happening around the world in 2020, it is easily understandable how some may start leaning more towards the pessimism spectrum.
With a little bit of self-awareness and a lot of tenacity, you can learn to crawl back over towards the optimism side of the rainbow.
Optimism also is one of the characteristics most highly related to life satisfaction. When we’re optimistic, not only do we believe that the future is bright, but we have no trouble thinking of specific things to look forward to.
— Leslie Ralph, PhD
How can you begin to instill a deeper optimistic perspective when the future seems so bleak? Since we all have a variety of ways of coping with events going on around us, this article is going to offer 5 different techniques to pick and choose from to help you.
There will also be 2 outstanding books that I highly recommend for dealing with mental challenges.
To wrap up, I will be providing you with 15 superior quotes that you will want to jot down for those iffy moments we all experience.
5 Techniques to Up Your Optimism
- Start a gratitude journal. Yes, this is a fairly common suggestion. However, I would suggest going a step further than merely jotting down 3 conditions you a grateful for. Instead, begin by writing down an event or circumstance that had a negative effect on you. Below that, figure out 1 or 2 positive outcomes from that negative situation and write them down. By training your brain to search for the silver lining of a negative event, you can rewire your thought process over time to see the positivity more easily.
- Begin a meditation practice. Taking the time to learn to quiet the mind is extremely beneficial. It is easy to get caught up in our heads, especially with the world in turmoil from the pandemic. There seems to be a tremendous amount of uncertainty everywhere, even from our elected officials and medical community. Learning how to sit quietly and only paying attention to your breath for 10 to 15 minutes a day can do wonders for your mental clarity. There are many YouTube videos available for meditation beginners.
- Create or adopt a positive, uplifting mantra. “I am in charge of how I feel, and today I choose happiness” is an immensely powerful mantra. “I am in control of my destiny” is another. Determine which power words feel impactful to you and create your mantra to repeat when you are feeling stressed and unsure. Focus on your mantra when you meditate daily. Write it down and stick it somewhere in your home to job your mind whenever you pass by it and read it. Train your brain and your heart to feel more powerful.
- Place positive affirmations around your home. There is quite a variety of uplifting posters, pictures, table decorations, and knick-knacks that you can place around your home. These act as subtle reminders to your subconscious that there is a more optimistic way of observing life. Personally, I have a 444 tattooed³ on my left forearm as a reminder that my angels or spirit guides are always with me and I am not alone.
- Surround yourself with positive people. As the old adage goes, negativity breeds negativity. Which would stand to reason then that positivity breeds positivity. Reach out to 1 or 2 of your most upbeat and cheerful friends or family members. Listen to the happiness and sureness in their voice, and work on emulating them on that wavelength. Train your voice and your brain to speak with more confidence and delight, and soon it will become second nature.
Books I Highly Recommend
- Master Your Emotions: A Practical Guide to Overcome Negativity and Better Manage Your Feelings is the ‘how-to’ manual your parents should have given you at birth. By reading it, you’ll learn a step-by-step process to deal with negative emotions so you can live a happier, more fulfilling life. With pragmatic exercises and personal examples, you’ll explore techniques that counteract draining spirals of negativity and provide immediate relief⁴.
- The Mental Toughness Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Facing Life’s Challenges, Managing Negative Emotions, and Overcoming Adversity with Courage and Poise provides a step-by-step training program for toughening your mind against adversity. You’ll learn how to persevere when life becomes difficult and your circumstances deviate from your plans. You’ll discover how to handle pressure, control your impulses, and endure the emotional and psychological distress that accompanies misfortune⁵.
15 Life-Changing Quotes to Keep Near You
- “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” — Robert Jordan
- “Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
- “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” — Helen Keller
- “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” Steve Maraboli
- “The last of human freedoms — the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.” — Viktor E. Frankl
- “The soul is stronger than its surroundings.” — William James
- “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” — Marcus Aurelius
- “Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” — Mark Twain
- “Cultivate an optimistic mind, use your imagination, always consider alternatives, and dare to believe that you can make possible what others think is impossible.” — Rodolfo Costa
- “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” — Dalai Lama
- “Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience.” — Roy T. Bennett
- “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” — Tom Bodett
- “The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future.” — Stephen Ambrose
- “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — Christopher Robin
- “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” — Roald Dahl
Takeaways
We have the ability to increase our optimism with a little work and perseverance.
- Start a gratitude journal with a twist
- Begin your meditation practice daily
- Create a personal, powerful mantra
- Place positive affirmations around your home for continual reminders
- Go out of your way to surround yourself with upbeat friends and family
Check out the two books I recommended — Master Your Emotions and The Mental Toughness Handbook.
Keep the list of motivating quotes near you for a quick pick-me-up anytime.
I hope you find these tips and techniques useful in your pursuit of a brighter future. Remember, we are all in this together!
Check out my article on helping children cope with stress during these trying times as well
Footnotes:
1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pessimism
2. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimism
3. https://joynumber.com/444-angel-number/
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