Over the years working with thousands of people, I’ve discovered that one of the key distinctions between lasting success and failure is the way we perceive events and circumstances in our lives.
One of the most important mindsets to have in order to maintain healthy levels of wellbeing is optimism.
Optimism is a tendency to anticipate good things in the future, and to look on the constructive side of a particular experience.
Many people struggle to stay optimistic and that can cause strain on relationships and health.
Just because we can find lots of things to feel down about, doesn’t mean that we should focus on them.
In fact, optimism creates opportunity – while pessimism can shut it down.
Research in Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health shows that optimism heavily influences physical and mental health, as well as coping with everyday social and working life.
It suggests that optimists are significantly more successful than pessimists in aversive events and when important life-goals are impaired.
Often, our greatest feelings of wellbeing come from achieving a healthy inner world – a feeling of peace and contentment.
Regardless of where you’re at, the good news is that you have within you right now the power to build a healthy mindset and an optimistic outlook.
Here are 3 of my top tips for staying optimistic:
1. Focus on what you want and how you want to be.
The ability to create and maintain well-being and a healthy mindset starts with the way we choose to think about things.
Too often, we can find ourselves focusing on our problems and on everything we DON’T have in our lives, rather than being grateful for what we do have.
One of the easiest ways to stay optimistic is to focus on what you really want, AND,…. even more importantly HOW you want to BE.
Whatever you focus on and give attention to, can transform your mindset.
Wisdom, passed down from thousands of years tells us that “as a person thinks,….so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
2. Replace unhelpful self-talk with healthy self-talk
The way we talk to ourselves affects the way we feel and the actions and results we produce in our lives.
Become mindful of when you say unhelpful and false phrases to yourself and replace them with healthier ones that make you feel good.
It’s not about ignoring reality, rather focusing on all the good that is present in our lives.
Think about it,…How much time do we currently spend focusing on things that rob our joy.
Many times we can tell our brain certain statements so often, that we well and truly believe them, even if they’re not true.
Some examples of unhelpful, disempowering self-talk
What’s wrong with me?
I’m so stupid
I can’t do it
I’ll never be able to
I’m not smart enough
I don’t know enough
Why do I keep stuffing up?
When we repeat these unhelpful phrases and questions, our brain naturally gives us unhelpful answers and responses.
However, when we repeat optimistic phrases in our minds, we start to feel better and as a result, attract more and more of what we need and want into our lives.
Some examples of helpful, empowering self-talk
I’m doing the best I can with my current resources
I am smart, creative and capable
Whatever I don’t have, I can learn
I can overcome this
All skills are learnable
I can develop everything I need to succeed
It’s OK to make mistakes. I’m human. I can always learn from my mistakes.
3. Practise Gratitude
There is a growing body of research that suggests regular gratitude practice can improve your mental wellbeing.
Gratitude can lead to feeling happier, having more zest for life, sleeping better, expressing more compassion and kindness, creating stronger relationships and having less stress.
Close your eyes and even for just 30 seconds, breathe deeply and focus on appreciating everything you have in your life.
Appreciate how far you’ve come.
Aim to hold that in your mind as long as you can – before problems try to worm their way back in.
Remember – having a healthy, optimistic mindset is not an inherited trait that some people have and others don’t. It starts with a choice and, like most skills, needs to be practised and put to work.
If you make this a habit, I’m sure you’ll notice how much better you feel.
Would you like more help healing your past and improving your relationships and wellbeing?
My upcoming workshop could be the exact thing you need.
It’s for you if you’d like to improve your wellness, emotional health, mindset and relationships.
Drawn from my experience as a Clinical Co-ordinator for Relationships Australia, Relationship Therapist and published Author, I bring my decades of experience to help you elevate your wellbeing.
You’ll pick up the tools you can use to:
* Understand yourself and your behaviours better
* Navigate your current season well
* Handle your challenges and your stressors to become more resilient
* Create a total wellness roadmap, so you can live your life by design rather than default.
If you want greater health and wellbeing in any aspect of your life, this workshop will give you the necessary tools to make decisions in alignment with your highest values.