In life, we have our good days and our not-so-good days.
Whether it be a major or minor event, everybody experiences some adversity in life that impacts their overall happiness.
Since adversity will always be a part of life, you must learn and grow from it instead of playing the victim when adversity strikes.
One way to help you overcome adversity is through optimism, or being optimistic.
Knowing how to remain optimistic when things aren’t going right is crucial, as when these events occur, you can leverage them for personal growth and development.
Before we can use the power of optimism, we must first know what it is.
The Definition of Optimism
Although the definition of optimism may vary depending on your source, all definitions will result in being able to identify the positives of a situation.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, optimism is “the quality of being full of hope and emphasizing the good parts of a situation, or a belief that something good will happen.”
In other words, no matter the situation, optimism involves seeing a situation for what it is and associating it with the positives of the situation rather than the negatives.
Optimistic people are the ones who tend to view the glass as half full or look at every day as a fresh start. Instead of operating out of scarcity, optimistic people live out of abundance.
While some people are naturally optimistic, it is a skill that can be learned.
Since everybody has different conditioning, it takes some people longer than others to develop higher levels of optimism.
When learning to be more optimistic, avoid engaging in high levels of blind optimism, which occurs when you believe good is coming your way regardless of your actions and behaviors.
High levels of this form of optimism can be counterproductive and cause inaction since the person engaging in it thinks that good is to come their way regardless of what they do.
For example,
If somebody wholeheartedly believes they will be successful but does nothing to work for that success, there won’t be much success.
You can find high levels of blind optimism in people who manifest but do nothing to make their manifestations come to life.
While blind optimism isn’t bad in moderation, ensure that your actions and behaviors align with the optimistic future you envision for yourself.
When you pair positive actions and behaviors with optimism, you will experience the power behind it.
Key Takeaways
Although the definition of optimism may vary depending on your source, all definitions will result in being able to identify the positives of a situation.
While some people are naturally optimistic, it is a skill that can be learned.
Since everybody has different conditioning, it takes some people longer than others to develop higher levels of optimism.
The Power of Optimism
Simply knowing what optimism is is not enough to convince one to be more optimistic. You must know the power of optimism and the impact it can have to make the most use of it.
The power of optimism lies within your mind and how you view the world.
As we discussed above, optimistic people naturally find the positives in any given scenario and tend to put less emphasis on the negatives.
People who aren’t optimistic or tend to focus on the negatives of a situation always seem to be in a rut. These people always seem to be complaining and draining you of your energy.
Optimism is beneficial because by seeking out positives rather than negatives, you will naturally find yourself more at peace with life and not in a depressive state.
When you become more optimistic, you will find that any clouds in your mind disappear, and you approach each day with renewed confidence.
Instead of needing everything to be solved right now, you consider what is going right within your life. By focusing on these positives, any negatives naturally work themselves out to allow room for more positive experiences.
To become more optimistic means to allow more positivity into your life. You will experience this positivity first through your thoughts.
Once you start to think positively, your actions and behaviors will reflect this positivity. When you think, act, and behave in positive ways, only positive experiences are to follow.
While adversity will still present itself, optimism will help you deal with adversity and grow from it.
It is in the face of adversity that people lose all sense of optimism. Whether facing adversity or not, you must know ways to remain optimistic.
Key Takeaways
When you become more optimistic, you will find that any clouds in your mind disappear, and you approach each day with renewed confidence.
To become more optimistic means to allow more positivity into your life. You will experience this positivity first through your thoughts.
Once you start to think positively, your actions and behaviors will reflect this positivity. When you think, act, and behave in positive ways, only positive experiences are to follow.
3 Ways to Remain Optimistic
Now that we know the definition of optimism, along with the power of optimism, we need to learn how to become and remain optimistic.
As mentioned above, some people are naturally optimistic, while others are more pessimistic depending on conditioning.
Below, we will review three ways to remain optimistic to allow yourself to experience more positivity and growth within your personal life.
#1. Surround Yourself with Positive People
If you strive to become more optimistic, it is necessary to watch your environment and ensure you surround yourself with positive people.
Although your physical environment largely impacts your daily life and how you perceive it, your social environment can ultimately make or break you.
When you surround yourself with pessimistic people who constantly breed negativity, it is no surprise that you start to feel these emotions within yourself.
Many people always find things to complain about such as their:
Job,
Financial situation,
Relationships,
Etc., but do nothing to fix them.
When you are readily available to listen to these people and allow them to dump all their problems onto you, nothing is stopping them from coming back and doing it time and time again.
Instead of allowing these people to dump their problems onto you, find and surround yourself with optimistic people who look at problems as areas of growth and development.
Rather than complaining, optimistic people seek out guidance and answers to any adversity they may be facing.
By deciding to surround yourself with positive people, you will condition yourself to view adversity for what it is: areas of growth.
#2. Define Your Purpose
When you can take the time to sit down and define your purpose, your life will take on a whole new meaning.
Most people go about their lives without finding their true purpose and live on somebody else’s terms. This is why many people hate their job and only do it so they can live.
The question is, are you living if you aren’t doing what you are truly meant to do?
By defining and identifying your purpose, you will achieve a sense of unwavering optimism that not even the worst day can bring down.
Somebody who knows their purpose can easily overcome any obstacles or negativity as they have a vision they are striving towards.
While some days will be better or worse than others, knowing your purpose allows you to see the bigger picture and realize that any adversity is just a bump in the road.
Yes, losing that job or significant other may hurt you in the short term, but having and knowing your purpose will allow you to remain optimistic and push forward in the long run.
#3. Focus on the Positives
While playing the victim is easy when adverse events occur, take a second to focus on the positives.
As humans, we tend to get locked in on one outcome, and if we fail to achieve that outcome, we view either the situation or ourselves as a failure.
This mindset fails to account for the micro-successes, or positives, that may have occurred or are occurring in your life.
For example,
You are to approach somebody you find attractive. After talking with the person, you get rejected. Immediately, you label it a failure and something you should either hesitate to do or never do again.
Instead of viewing this as a failure, take into account the positives that occurred during this interaction:
- Approached a stranger and dared to do so
- Able to generate a response out of another person without them simply ignoring you
- Further developed the confidence and skills needed for when another similar situation arises
By recognizing and focusing on the positives of any given situation, such as the above example, you will naturally achieve a higher sense of optimism.
The optimism you develop from continuously seeking out positives will keep you growing and developing as a person.
Key Takeaways
By deciding to surround yourself with optimistic people, you will condition yourself to view adversity for what it is: areas of growth.
Somebody who knows their purpose can easily overcome any obstacles or negativity as they have a vision they are striving towards.
The optimism you develop from continuously seeking out positives will keep you growing and developing as a person.
Conclusion
While the optimistic route is not always the easiest one to follow, it is the route that will provide you with continuous fulfillment and personal growth.
With many people taking the pessimistic route presented in the modern world, you can now be somebody who does the opposite.
When adversity strikes, leverage the power of optimism and discover the power behind the optimistic mindset.
–Your future self will thank you.
