![]() 10 WAYS TO CULTIVATE OPTIMISM – MASTER YOUR MOOD STATES Being too optimistic can be equally unhealthy as being pessimistic if it causes you to make decisions based on a false sense of reality. The bottom line: One of the most important aspects of well-being is your ability to become - or remain - positive and optimistic, striving to maintain a balanced sense of reality. ![]() Some people are overly optimistic in that they are described as seeing life through rose-colored glasses. Learning optimism is a worthwhile strategy, so long as you keep your feet on the ground. And so they don’t, and often remain unnecessarily stuck in positions they could escape if they were to adjust their attitude. They conclude that these situations are so likely and their effects so hopeless that there is no reason to act. Pessimists are pros at catastrophizing, envisioning the worst-case scenario, and then ruminating about what might happen if x, y or z. Often, they are idealists who think that life should be unflawed, or the way they always envisioned it to be. They worry about doing things perfectly, which often makes them incapable of making a move. Fredrickson and her colleagues have found that pessimists get caught up in the idea of perfection, which leads to its own set of challenges. Pretty compelling, isn’t it? As if that weren’t enough, Dr. Evidence suggests they may even live longer.” They age well, much freer than most of us from the usual physical ills of middle age. When optimists run for office, they are more apt to be elected than pessimists are. They regularly exceed the predictions of aptitude tests. These experiments also show that optimists do much better in school and college, at work and on the playing field. Martin Seligman says, “Literally hundreds of studies show that pessimists give up more easily and get depressed more often. In Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, Dr. ![]() Congratulations! LEARNING OPTIMISM: WHY BOTHER?Īnother factor that differentiates outlook - optimism versus pessimism - from many other character traits is that one of them has been proven to be better for us. Your self-awareness just served as an impetus for change. If that desire hits a familiar note with you, that’s great! Use it as your first exercise in your journey to cultivate optimism: learning to see the positive in all situations. On the other hand, some people - particularly those who are (or who become) more self-aware - may notice that negative thought patterns are holding them back from leading a healthy, fulfilling life, and opt to change them. Just like an addiction, that person may need to “hit bottom” before finding the motivation to change their thoughts or behaviors, or may continue through life like Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh’s perpetually gloomy pal. If a person chooses to be pessimistic, the black cloud is in place, following overhead. Constantly complaining, worrying, looking for the negative side of the coin seems to suit them. Some people are content in their pessimistic thought patterns. The first step: Wanting to be optimistic. The majority of us, however, have to work on developing a sense of optimism. They see the positive side of every situation, the silver lining in every cloud, the opportunity in every challenge. What sets optimism apart from other personality traits is that, like a skill, it can be learned. Granted, some people are intrinsically optimistic. As such, optimism is the result of genetics, environment and experience. Among her findings: People can cultivate optimism. Like being an introvert or an extrovert, being an optimist (or a pessimist) is a personality trait, according to Dr. They also determine whether you are an optimist or pessimist.īarbara Fredrickson, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory (aka PEP Lab) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has conducted extensive research in the area of optimism. Your perceptions impact the way you see and interact with the world around you. If the water in your glass hovers around the midway point, would you tend to describe it as being half-full or half-empty? Beyond the cliché, your cup is as full as you believe it to be.
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