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6 Ways to Boost Your Optimism

by Louise W. Rice
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It’s easy to be pessimistic with everything that has happened over the past few years. We’re continually bombarded with overwhelming global events, heartbreaking stories, and constant criticism and negativity from news outlets as well as our peers. With all of this going on, who wouldn’t feel a bit pessimistic now and then?

However, pessimism rarely makes things better or helps us overcome our challenges. Pessimists are more likely to give up in all aspects of their life and wallow in their misery instead of making any positive changes.

So if you are stuck in a rut or your life is not what you want it to be, you won’t get anywhere complaining about it. Time and time again, optimism has been shown to be the critical factor that helps people change their lives. Believing that life will improve is what kicks your butt in gear to start improving it.

So how do you develop a more optimistic mindset? Luckily, there are many ways to train your brain to think more positively. This article will discuss six powerful practices that can boost your optimism right now.

1. Change Your Perspective

Everything is about perspective. What one person views as a curse can be a blessing to someone else.

When things are tough, and your life seems to have endless challenges, it can be hard to find any blessings. But finding even one or two positives in a challenging situation can help you be more optimistic about the resolution. The situation will no longer seem futile, and you may even find that it is a blessing in disguise.

2. Gratitude

Taking some time to think about everything you are grateful for can remind you of all the wonderful things that life offers.

Gratitude has a magical way of reminding you of all the miracles you had experienced, especially when times were tough in the past. You recognize all the good you have in life now as well as all the good you have had in the past. This makes it much easier to believe that even more good will come in your future.

One great way to feel gratitude is by making a gratitude list each day. Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that students who wrote gratitude lists daily developed a significantly more optimistic mindset and felt much better about their current situations. In fact, writing in a gratitude journal each day can increase your long-term well-being by 10%.

3. Stop Complaining

This step is critical on your path to optimism. After all, you can’t keep an optimistic mindset if you’re constantly complaining about your situation.

Complaining drains all hope or energy out of you, making it difficult to find a solution to your problem. This habit gives you a sense of powerlessness, robbing you of any motivation to resolve the issue.

Therefore, complaining should be cut entirely out of your life. It serves no productive purpose and directly blocks your path to an optimistic mindset and awesome future.

4. Take Care of Yourself

Your physical health is directly linked to your mental health. Eating junk food and living a sedentary lifestyle can keep you sluggish and unhappy, making you less likely to feel motivated or optimistic about anything.

That’s why if you want to develop a more positive mindset (or improve your mental health in general), you need to take care of your physical body. Eating right, exercising regularly, and sleeping well each night will make it significantly easier to keep a positive mindset.

5. Positive Affirmations

Negative self-talk can lead to consistent negative thinking and pessimism. Therefore, it’s essential that you replace your negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Whether talking about yourself, others, or a situation, learning to think and speak positively will have a clear boost on your optimistic mindset.

6. Turn Off the News

It’s no secret that news stations have added quite a bit of drama to our lives over the past few years. What was once a source of unbiased information about current events is now a significant source of anger, drama, and pessimism in the world.

So is it any wonder why so many people are starting to turn off the news? Watching the news constantly and checking for updates throughout the day can be draining, demoralizing, and encourage pessimism. According to Verywell, constantly watching or reading any sort of negative news reporting such as sensational reporting or disaster reporting can increase stress and anxiety.

That’s why it’s important to create a healthy boundary with the news. Block yourself from certain news sites or delete news apps from your phone. Look for information about important global events on reputable, unbiased news sources that don’t delve into unnecessary analysis or commentary. Limit your news intake to just a few minutes a day to ensure you know what’s going on without getting too involved in the drama.

You can fill the void with more positive media as well. This can be articles, books, shows, Tik Toks, memes, etc. Whatever media inspires you will keep you motivated and happy, all while helping you develop a more optimistic mindset.

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