3 Ways to Make Optimism Work For You

Optimism - an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

When you think of optimism, what comes to mind? Is it difficult for you to be optimistic? We see people who just seem to be optimistic all the time. The cynic in us calls them "rose colored glasses" people. But they do seem happy. They do appear to enjoy their life and work. Why are they so optimistic? Do they have less challenges than other people?

I think all of the questions above are fair questions. I believe most of us would like to be more optimistic. So what is the difference between these consistently optimistic people and those not as optimistic?

Before we get into more detail, take a minute and rate your current level of optimism. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest possible level of optimism, where do you rate yourself?

Optimism is a mindset

If we base our level of optimism on external factors:

• Our circumstances
• Our finances
• Our relationships
• Our current level of control/influence

Then we will consistently lack optimism. These external factors are mostly out of our control.

Story

I was talking to someone recently who is struggling with what most of us are struggling with...waves of change, uncertainty, anxiety, worry. As I listened to them, it became clear that their optimism was very low. Everything was a problem. People in their life were trouble and a pain to deal with. They fear more change since they have yet to figure out the changes already happening. I could see their desire to find peace in their life, but they had no idea how to achieve that. I asked a simple question, "What are you optimistic about?" The immediate answer was, "Nothing!" So I asked the question again. After an initial look of frustration, they started to think about my question. Then after a little time, here is what this individual said, "I am optimistic about what I have accomplished and what I believe I can do in the future." BINGO! That was the moment the focus for this person shifted from the external things impacting their life to their internal resources and achievements.

Optimism is looking to the future with hope and possibility. The interesting thing about this, you have to look to the past so you can look to the future with optimism. Looking to the future without that is just wishful thinking. That is not true optimism. Optimism is based on an intentional choice grounded in your experiences, accomplishments, observations, beliefs, values, and focus. In essence, optimism is built on the internal resources you have built. That is why when you feel tired and depleted, it is much more difficult to be optimistic.

Practicing optimism

Yes, optimism is a practice. It is a deliberate choice to approach situations with an optimistic mindset. How do we do that? Here are some suggestions:

• Choose optimism over pessimism. This may seem like a canned answer, but the reality is that you will approach every situation in your life with some level of optimism or pessimism. It is baked into who we are as people. Pessimism tends to limit you, put you in a bad place in your mind, and keep you stuck. Don't confuse pessimism with skepticism. They are not the same thing.
• Look for the good that could come out of a situation.
• Look inside yourself for resources that can bring about positive outcomes.
• Consider who you might include in specific situations that would enhance good results and provide valuable assistance.

These are just a few ways to practice optimism.

3 ways to make optimism work for you

If we can approach our lives with an optimistic mindset, then we have a huge advantage. Here are 3 ways to make optimism work for you.

1. Motivation and energy - an optimistic approach naturally enhances our internal motivation and energy. The more we choose optimism, the more energy we will generate to do the things we need and want to do.
2. Options - an optimistic mindset frees our brains to come up with more options. It promotes a divergent thinking process that helps us to see greater possibilities and different ways of getting there.
3. Optimism engages your creativity, allowing you to be more innovative. This enhances the potential for better solutions.
4. BONUS - I know I said 3 ways, but here is an important 4th way. Optimism creates an emotional environment that allows you to access your higher cognitive functions. Critical thinking, strategic thinking, abstract thinking, problem solving, consequential thinking...these are some of those higher thinking processes that optimism facilitates.

When you think of optimism, don't think, "fake it till I make it." That is not genuine and does not really work. Think of optimism as a choice. A choice to be more intentional about practicing optimism. Notice when I say "practice optimism", you could start in pessimism. The choice comes when you decide whether you will stay pessimistic or choose to practice optimism. Using the bullet points earlier in this article will help you to practice optimism.

Personal note & a little science

I am an optimistic person. Some of that is based in my personality but there are many times in my life where I have been very pessimistic. As I learned more about neuroscience and emotional intelligence, I realized that we build patterns for ourselves that are reinforced every time we repeat that pattern. That is why you can change from pessimism to optimism. I did. In those times when I was experiencing significant pessimism, the way that I found my way to optimism was to change the old pattern to a new pattern. We literally create neural pathways in our brain (patterns) that we can change if we desire. One of the biggest challenges to making that happen is to not allow our brains to operate on autopilot. Our brains like that because it is easy and comfortable, even if the outcomes are not desirable.

Anything worthwhile takes effort. Practicing optimism has real value. It enhances our energy, gives us options, engages our creativity, and creates an emotional environment that is healthy and vital. This is an EQ skill that is well worth developing!

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 Copyright © 2023 EQFIT® - Author: Steven Goodner. All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: [email protected].