The Power of Optimism
Being optimistic is more than seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.
Optimism shows itself through attitude, belief, and actions. When we are optimistic everything in life is different. 
Optimistic people:
- Set more goals and put more effort into attaining their goals.
- Stay more engaged when challenges arise.
- Cope better during stressful times.
- Feel better about themselves and the world around them.
In fact, it turns out that optimism is a predictor of work performance. The higher the optimism, the better your performance in all areas of life.
Here are some tips to become more optimistic:
- Make a list of the good things in your career or life. Scan your day for three good things that happened that day and be grateful for them. Keep a gratitude journal!
- Make (and think) positive comments about the world and people around you – seriously! This might take some time to get the hang of, we are so trained to complain.
- Journal about positive experiences. This is akin to going to the gym and exercising your optimism muscles.
- Expect favorable outcomes. (If this doesn’t come naturally to you, cultivate these expectations.) This actually primes your brain to be on the lookout for and recognize possibilities.
And just in case doubt and negativity might be clouding your thinking right now, trust me, this information has been scientifically proven. And doesn’t that just make you a little more optimistic?
Here is McLandburgh Wilson pondering on optimism in 1915:
“Twixt the optimist and pessimist
The difference is droll
The optimist sees the doughnut
But the pessimist sees the hole.“
