How can i be more optimistic

Is making the effort to train your brain to be more optimistic worth it? Science says yes. Research shows that the sunny worldview has some very real benefits for your health and productivity. According to a study published in Clinical Psychology Review , optimism is closely linked to resilience.

Science also shows that those with an optimistic outlook tend to be more proactive when it comes to their health, have better cardiovascular health and a stronger immune system , earn a higher income and have more successful relationships. A large study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that the most optimistic women were 30 percent less likely to die from any of the serious illnesses tracked during the 8-year time period, including cancer, heart disease and stroke.

In fact, there are many effective ways to adopt an optimistic mindset. Experts refer to the tactic as "positive reframing. Often, he will reply that he did end up spending time indoors relaxing, reading or cuddling up to somebody he loves. After a while, this will become effortless, a more automatic and optimistic frame of mind. Making this conscious effort not only shifts your viewpoint in the short term, but it may actually train your brain to think more positively. We all have those friends who are chronic complainers or gossipers.

After spending a few hours with them we find ourselves jumping on the Debby Downer bandwagon. Having a happy spouse, friend or neighbor who lives within a mile of you increases the probability that you will be happy as well.

If you start connecting to people who are optimistic and grounded in life, you will start to be affected by their positive energy," says Ward. The more you spend time with negativity, the more negative you are bound to feel. I typically recommend allowing yourself just enough time to learn the news, after which I suggest that you turn off the media and instead spend time doing activities that help maintain your health and a positive outlook.

If you feel a need to process the current state of political or world affairs, you may want to consider having a healthy discussion about it with a friend or family member; this still allows you to absorb the information but can also offer you a good level of discourse and balanced views on the news.

Researchers define gratitude as the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself, or a general state of thankfulness — no doubt a mental state that fosters an optimistic outlook. But it can be easier said than done to remain grateful throughout day to-day stressors.

Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do it. This simple mental training exercise will instantly boost your mood and transform the way you think about yourself , your potential, and your future. One way to practice optimism, be more positive in your thinking , and orient yourself toward success is to get into the habit of looking for any improvement in the current situation as a solution, no matter how small.

For example, losing a half pound may seem small when your goal is 50 pounds, but it's movement in the right direction. What kinds of distractions or obstacles routinely get in the way of meeting your goals? Is it your to-do list? Unproductive habits? Negative people or saboteurs? One of the keys to achieving optimism is to make steady progress, and that means limiting distractions.

Figure out ways to avoid temptations in your life so you don't deplete your reserve of discipline before getting priorities done. If you waste time on the internet, then don't go online. If you have difficulty saying, "I'm busy" to friends, let their calls go to voicemail.

Succeeding rather than failing keeps you optimistic. Many of us are more confident and perform better when someone is cheering us on. Yet a part of being a successful person is being self-aware and accountable to oneself. One way to reinforce these traits is to conjure up a coach in your mind. Recall a role model who inspired and challenged you. When faced with a daunting task, ask yourself, "What would So-and-So do if she had two reports and only 24 hours to complete them? Get in the habit of recognizing "done wells.

The answers accumulate and eventually help you develop self-confidence, which is extremely important for success. A happy body helps you generate happy thoughts and emotions. Optimism is easier when you feel good.

Factors that interfere with one's ability to moderate a good mood and positive energy include: lack of sleep , depleted energy from poor eating and lifestyle habits, and too little exercise. If you have a big goal to achieve, "train" for it like a professional athlete.

For optimal mental focus and performance, take a holistic approach to physical and mental health—sleep, rest, manage your stress, have a good diet, and get plenty of vigorous exercise. Want your passion for wellness to change the world? Become A Functional Nutrition Coach! Enroll today to join our upcoming live office hours.

Write these things down. Or it might be visual record, as in photographs of good times and favourite places. Consciously remembering the positive parts of your life allows you to build a mental repertoire of resilience you can draw on when feeling low.

Making a habit of writing down three things to be grateful for, regardless of how small, can bring more mindfulness to everyday life and enable us to actively express gratitude for significant but forgotten things like life, health, a home and friends. A test of vision, imagination and thereafter manifestation, it can foster a more positive mindset. They become unwelcome guests putting a downer on ourselves, others and souring experiences.

Our energy stores are precious. They run the motor of our lives. Watching too much news, excess alcohol or drugs and anyone who saps or drains you, should be marked up as bad for your health and moderated or avoided altogether.

Constant worrying and self-absorption means you're less present for friends or family. Conversely, taking time to help others - be this friends, family, neighbours or through community work - not only take you out of yourself, which can be a lonely dwelling, but will release feel good chemicals, give a sense of purpose, belonging and help keep things in perspective.

Let other people matter. Twenty minutes a day outside has the same effect as an anti-depressant and spending time in nature: gardening, foraging, bird watching or walking, can benefit mental and physical wellbeing. Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identified the concept of flow, a highly focused mental state you enter when completely engaged with a task or activity - ideally one that is creative and engaging, not tedious or laborious.

Whether its writing, taking photographs, baking, making music or reading, the ability to disappear into an activity so that we lose both sense of time and ourselves is regarded by some to be the ultimate state of happiness.