An optimist is someone who generally believes that good things are going to happen.
Optimists enjoy many health and lifestyle benefits and tend to be happier than other people overall.
Being optimistic will probably make you feel younger and healthier, as well, although this is hard to quantify.
HOW IS OPTIMISM DEFINED?
Optimism is measured by your personal explanatory style, or how you defineevents.
If you can learn to define positive events as being:
- because of something you did
- a sign of more good things to come
- evidence that good things will happen in other areas of your life .then you are a long way towards being an optimist.
- If you can also think of negative events as:
- not your fault
- isolated ocurrences that have no bearing on future events or other areas of your lite then you are the rest of the way there!
ARE YOU AN OPTIMIST?
Consider the following questions and statements carefully to find out if you are an optimist:
1 When something positive happens in your life, stop to analyse your thought process for a moment.
Are you giving yourself due credit for making it happen?
Think of all the strengths you possess and the ways that you contributed, both directly and indirectly, to make this event occur.
For example, if you did well in an examination or test of some kind, don’t just think of how great it is that you were prepared, but also think of how your intelligence and dedication played a role in your success.
2 Think of other areas of your life that could be affected by this good event.
Also, think of how the strengths you possess that caused this good thing to happen can also cause other positive events in your life.
3 Imagine what future posibilities could be in store. Because you hold the key to your success, shouldn’t you expect to do well on future tests?
4 When negative events occur think of the extenuating circumstances that could have contributed to them happening. If you do poorly on an exam, for example, were you especially busy in the preceding week?
5 Also remember that you’ll have endless opportunities to do better in the future. Concentrate on your next potential success.
TOP HINTS FOR BECOMING AN OPTIMIST
- The key to optimism is to maximize your successes and minimize your failures.
- It is beneficial to look honestly at your shortcomings so you can work on them, but focusing on your strengths can never hurt.
- Bear in mind that the more you practise challenging your thought patterns, the more automatic the process will become.
- Practise positive affirmations. They really work!
TIP
It is not always easy for all of
us, but if you can think like
an optimist and believe
that it is all good, you will
feel younger and happier