You might be surprised to hear that optimism is not an innate quality. Optimism and pessimism are ways of looking at yourself and the world through a positive or negative filter. 

Once you think of them as reflections of your mindset, it becomes much easier to believe you can change. Like any new behavior, you need to practice daily for it to become a habit. Try these six suggestions to cultivate your optimism every day. 

Keep a journal

Journaling or keeping a diary allows you to process events and get a different perspective. It encourages self-reflection and captures insights into your thinking and behavior. You can write down what happened during your day and document, not just the bald facts but how you did it, what you did to make it happen, and what you did right. And, importantly, how it felt while you were doing it. Don’t just record the good things (a promotion, a presentation, or a meeting that went well); remember to write down the thing that didn’t go so well and reflect on what happened, how you dealt with it, and what you might do differently next time.

Laugh

Consciously notice the funny side of things and write them down. If the technology didn’t work, and you had to give the presentation without the slide deck, the power went out, or there was a fire drill in the middle of your crucial meeting. What can seem like a disaster at the time can also be looked back on as a comedy of errors. 

Write to your future

Write a letter or a journal entry that sets out your desired future. What job are you doing? Are you running your own business? What have you learned? What has changed? Imagining how your future life looks and feels can be a powerful motivator.

Keep a kindness list

Have a page in your journal where you note down kind gestures. Write down when you are kind to someone or when someone is kind to you. Even little things count, like opening a door for someone or letting them go first in the line for coffee. You’ll be surprised at how quickly they mount up, and your ever-lengthening list will give you a different perspective on things.

Say thank you

Write a text or email, call, or visit someone (a person outside your family) who has been genuinely kind to you. Tell them how much you appreciate what they did or said and how it has affected your life. 

Choose positivity

Make the positive choice to develop and maintain an optimistic outlook. Do this every morning when you wake up. Decide that today is going to be a great day. Everyone will have some level of suffering in their life. Being optimistic will make it easier to bounce back from the bad times and consciously create good times.

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