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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nConvinced it\u2019s time for a shift in perspective (and to take advantage of the perks that come with it)? You\u2019ll be happy to hear that experts believe optimism is a trait that can be learned pretty easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOptimism can definitely be a learned trait,\u201d agreed Iyer, who says she works with many clients to cultivate a more optimistic outlook. \u201cJust because you have been a pessimist for most of your life does not mean that you are destined to always be a pessimist. In fact, there are many effective ways to adopt an optimistic mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a handful of tactics that will help you begin to see the glass half full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. \u2018Try On\u2019 a Positive Lens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Yes, shifting your perspective is as easy as consciously thinking happy thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor my clients who have historically tended to be pessimistic, they habitually view things as negative. I will ask them to challenge themselves to always consider that there may be another way of looking at things,\u201d says Iyer. Experts refer to the tactic as “positive reframing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor example, if a client expresses that an entire day was ruined because it was dark or rainy outside, I would challenge him to focus on what may have been gained during that time. Often, he will reply that he did end up spending time indoors relaxing, reading or cuddling up to somebody he loves. Instead of looking at events in the most negative possible light, I encourage clients to make an active effort to \u2018try on\u2019 positive lenses as much as possible. After a while, this will become effortless, a more automatic and optimistic frame of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making this conscious effort not only shifts your viewpoint in the short term, but it may actually train your brain to think more positively. As Davidson\u2019s research revealed, the more we consciously reframe scenarios in a positive light, the more we train our brains to fire up circuits in different regions, eventually altering our response to negative experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Take Note of the Company You Keep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We all have those friends who are chronic complainers or gossipers. After spending a few hours with them we find ourselves jumping on the Debby Downer bandwagon. It\u2019s clear: Negativity is contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily, positive emotions can be contagious, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust as some diseases are contagious,\u201d Christakis says, \u201cwe\u2019ve found that many emotions can pulse through social networks,\u201d says Nicholas Christakis<\/a>, an HMS professor of medical sociology and of medicine who has researched the contagion of emotions within the larger context of social networks, His research found that happiness may be a collective phenomenon: Having a happy spouse, or a friend or neighbor, who lives within a mile of you appears to increase the probability that you will be happy as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which means it\u2019s time to add some optimists to your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStart noticing who you spend time with on a daily basis. If you start connecting to people who are optimistic and grounded in life, you will start to be affected by their positive energy,” says Ward. “The same goes for the time you spend with pessimistic people. The more you spend time with negativity, the more negative you are bound to feel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Five minutes of the morning news is enough to send anyone’s mood in a downward spiral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe news and current state of media and politics can make it very hard for people to be optimistic. The reality is that the moment you turn on the news or read the paper, you are likely to be barraged with negativity and a bleak outlook on the world,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cThis, however, is an imbalanced view on the world, so I suggest that people try to limit their consumption of the news. I typically recommend allowing yourself just enough time to learn the news, after which I suggest that you turn off the media and instead spend time doing activities that help maintain your health and a positive outlook. If you feel a need to process the current state of political or world affairs, you may want to consider having a healthy discussion about it with a friend or family member; this still allows you to absorb the information but can also offer you a good level of discourse and balanced views on the news.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers define gratitude<\/a> as the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself, or a general state of thankfulness \u2014 no doubt a mental state that fosters an optimistic outlook. But it can be easier said than done to remain grateful throughout day to-day stressors .<\/p>\n\n\n\n A smart way to ease into it is by journaling, a popular technique for cultivating gratitude that takes just minutes each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will often ask my clients to keep gratitude journals. At the end of each day, they will write down one or two things that they experienced or witnessed during the day that filled them with gratitude, says Iyer. \u201cIt is really important to note that this could be anything \u2014 a cup of coffee<\/a> that filled you with joy, a random act of kindness by a stranger or even breathing in some fresh air on your morning walk. This will allow you to focus on the positives of your day and cultivate an optimistic mindset, a perfect note on which to end your day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology<\/a> found that writing in a journal about what you are grateful for was linked to greater feelings of optimism, while another published in the Journal of Happiness Studies<\/a> found that keeping a journal in which you write down your own acts of kindness can also give you optimism a boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to mention that writing down what you\u2019re grateful for comes with some pretty impressive physical benefits as well, including better sleep<\/a>, improved heart health<\/a>, reduced aches and pains<\/a> and fewer depressive symptoms<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you have your journal open, jot down some of your accomplishments as well. \u201cIt may sound corny but start acknowledging your personal and professional achievements. Doing so creates a sense of self-esteem and healthy self-esteem builds confidence. When you feel confident, you feel much more optimistic about life,\u201d says Ward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile some people may be unable to deal with uncertainty, positive individuals are able to adapt and thrive. Accept what you can and cannot control in the situation,\u201d says Hershenson. \u201cFor example, if you lose your job you cannot control the fact that you were fired or laid off. You can control whether you take steps to find a new job as well as whether you take care of yourself with proper nutrition and sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Practicing mindfulness is a great way to help combat the tendency to ruminate over daily stressors, which is a breeding ground for negativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe often ruminate endlessly without really focusing on the task at hand,\u201d says Weiss. \u201cIf you can learn to be in the present space (while allowing other thoughts to enter your brain but then pushing them gently away) without judgement or thought about past or future, you will find that there\u2019s less room for pessimism,\u201d says Weiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s important to remember that making an effort to be more optimistic doesn\u2019t mean walking around wearing rose-colored glasses. While it’s good for our mental health to see the positive in situations, not acknowledging the negative can hinder you in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOptimism can be detrimental if it keeps you locked into fantasy and you are in denial about your current reality. You may be optimistic about finding a more lucrative job or loving relationship, but if you do not address the issues that are keeping you from those goals, you will not be able to create what you want,\u201d says Ward. \u201cA combination of optimism and realistic thinking help people navigate through life. Realistic thinking does not mean never seeing the bright side of life; not at all. It is simply a way of supporting your optimism with the action steps so that you can create a positive future as opposed to being stuck in fantasy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brianna Steinhilber<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Turn Off the News<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Write in a Journal for a Few Minutes Each Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Acknowledge What You Can and Cannot Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Don’t Forget to Acknowledge the Negative<\/h3>\n\n\n\n