Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Optimistic
How to Be OptimisticWhile being skeptical can be a healthy way to avoid getting taken advantage of, being pessimistic - that is, always assuming the worst - can have major negative consequences on your life. Seeing only the negative aspects of any situation can cause you to miss opportunities, neglect problems that need to be solved, and fail to take action that would otherwise improve your relationships and quality of life. Optimists, who are so much more at peace with the world, train themselves to look for the light at the end the tunnel. If you've always had a pessimistic worldview, it can be difficult to shift your focus, but it is possible to start seeing the glass as half full. Not half empty.
Understand that the past does not equal the future. Just because you've experienced pain or disappointment in the past does not guarantee that it's all you'll experience in the future. There were many things in your past that you couldn't control, and everybody comes across unfortunate circumstances at some point in their lives - you're no exception. But there are also many things in life we can control to one degree or another, and therein lies the possibility of change. A day or week that starts badly will not necessarily end badly. Do not make a bad start turn into a self fulfilling prophecy for a bad ending.
See yourself as a cause, not an effect. You don't have to be a product or a victim of your circumstances. Stop thinking about what is happening to you and start thinking about what you can make happen. If you're not happy with the way your life is now, set goals and move on. Use your past negative experiences to build character and make better decisions, instead of letting pessimism turn you into someone who avoids risk at all costs. Sometimes it is necessary to take risks to receive rewards. Moreover, taking no action is taking an action. It is better to play to win rather than merely to avoid losing.
Accept pain, failure and disappointment as a part of life, not the entirety of it. Life involves taking many risks every day, and not all of them will end positively. That's what defines risk. But the flip side is that some actions will lead to good results, and it's generally better to have a mixed bag than to have nothing at all. Ideally, the good stuff will outweigh the bad, but you'll never reach that point unless you put yourself out there and hope for the best. When in doubt, remember Lord Alfred Tennyson's words of wisdom:I hold it true, whate'er befall;I feel it, when I sorrow most;'This better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
I hold it true, whatever befall,
I feel it, when sorrow most;
This better to have love and lost;
Than never to have loved at all.
Quotes to help you be optimistic
"Anything is possible."
"I create my circumstances, my circumstances don't create me."
"The only thing I can control is my attitude towards life."
"I always have a choice."
"Look at the little things in life that are good and it will make your life a WHOLE lot better"
Staying positive!
1)Avoid negative people. If you can't avoid them, learn how to not let them get you down.
2)Don't let your negative feelings control you.
3)Don't confuse pessimism with depression. Depression can make everything look worse.
4)You can only change you. You can't change other people.
5)While it is true that you create your own circumstances, accept that the past is the past.
6)The past is the past. It's over. It's done. Let it go.
7)Realize that it's not about what happens to you, it's about how you react to what happens.
8)These steps are important because you can't always rely on other people to make you happy.
Regards,
Jefferson Lim
by jefferson at 7:31:00 PM |
