& Practices to Cultivate Optimism Each Day

7 Practices to Cultivate Optimism Each Day

You might be surprised to hear that optimism is not an innate quality. Optimism and pessimism are ways of looking at yourself and the world through a positive or negative filter.  Once you think of them as reflections of your mindset, it becomes much easier to believe you can change. Like any new behavior, you need to practice every day for it to become a habit. Try these six suggestions to cultivate your optimism every day.

  1. Keep a journal

Journaling or keeping a diary allows you to process events and to get a different perspective on them. It encourages self-reflection and captures insights into your thinking and behavior. You can write down what happened during your day and document, not just the bald facts but how you did it, what you did to make it happen and what you did right. And, importantly, how it felt while you were doing it. Don’t just record the good things (a promotion, a presentation or meeting that went well), remember to write down the thing that didn’t go so well and reflect on what happened, how you dealt with it, and what you might do differently next time.

  1. Laugh

Consciously notice the funny side of things and write them down. If the technology didn’t work, and you had to give the presentation without the slide deck, or the power went out, or there was a fire drill in the middle of your crucial meeting. What can seem like a disaster at the time can also be looked back on as a comedy of errors. On your break, watch a funny video or ones of animals – release the dopamine.

  1. Write to your future

Write a letter or a journal entry that sets out the future you want. What job are you doing? Are you running your own business? What have you learned? What has changed? Imagining how your future life looks and feels can be a powerful motivator.

  1. Keep a kindness list

Have a page in your journal where you note down kind gestures. Write down when you are kind to someone, or when someone is kind to you. Even little things count, like opening a door for someone or letting them go first in the line for coffee. You’ll be surprised at how quickly they mount up, and your ever-lengthening list will give you a different perspective on things.

  1. Say thank you

Write a letter or email, phone or visit someone (a person outside your family) who has been genuinely kind to you. Tell them how much you appreciate what they did or said and how it has affected your life. Be sure to acknowledge and appreciate those in your inner circle, as well as others.

  1. Choose positivity

Make the positive choice to develop and maintain an optimistic outlook. Do this every morning when you wake up. Decide that today is going to be a great day. Everyone will have some level of suffering in their life. Choosing to be optimistic will make it easier to bounce back from the bad times and to enjoy and be certain of the good times.

  1. Practice Gratitude Daily

Each morning and night, say at least 3 things you are grateful for; doing so in the morning will prime your brain to start the day well, while at night will help you to sleep better. Don’t repeat the same things over and over; sure, you can be grateful for the bed you slept on but take it a step further and thank the person who made or delivered the bed. As the saying goes, gratitude changes the attitude and least to more optimism.

Being optimistic will enhance your life in a positive way, while helping you to deal with adverse events more easily. Begin practicing these steps daily, making them part of your routine, and watch how you life changes. Remember, you do get the choice as to how you see that life.

 

If you are struggling with negativity or want to make improvements in your life, reach out to learn more. You don’t have to struggle or do it alone….

 

 

 

 

The Art of Being Thankful

 

Being thankful for all that we possess is essential to opening our hearts and minds, as it takes the focus off of all that we believe we don’t have and shows us that we do. This practice alone has been rated as the #2 way to raise happiness, for when we focus on our negatives we can’t ‘see’ any positives; and we will attract more negative in our lives.

 

You can blame your left brain for this; isn’t it time to get into the right where positivity and optimism live?

 

This is why gratitude and giving thanks is crucial. But it needs to be done consistently so it will become a good habit.

 

When we take the focus off of the negatives, and put it to seeing the positives, this is where the magic happens.

 

Being positive and optimistic creates good feelings to emerge and your focus will go towards now seeing only the good; the negatives won’t seem so catastrophic and you will do what it takes to handle them.

 

The Solution

One solution is  cheap and easy to do:  create a “Gratitude Jar.”

 

You might be asking, what this is and how will it lead me to being more positive; well, because we often tend to focus on the things we don’t want or don’t have in our lives we are actually attracting them.

 

This can lead to having a ‘victim’ mentality, as if life is unkind or throwing you lemons and not lemonade.

 

Creating a Gratitude Jar, that you fill daily, will show you that there is good in your life; you will now be more appreciative of them and work to keep them and/or improve upon them. Your brain chemicals will alter, leading to enhanced feelings of appreciation, happiness, and optimism.

 

It doesn’t matter if you use a jar, a box (my preferred method), a basket or other vessel to capture your thoughts.  The important thing is that you do.

 

To create your gratitude jar, here are some steps to begin – it is actually a fun activity (your kids might love this):

 

  1. Get a jar  and decorate it by using paints, markers, pictures or stickers.  Label it, either “My Gratitude Jar”, “My Daily Thanks” or “My Thankful Life” as suggestions.

 

  1. Have small slips of paper – I use post-it notes – and a marker; these are where you can write down your daily thanks.  It is important to remember to give thanks for all that you have, no matter how big or small; it could be as simple that you have life or that you ate the salad instead of that piece of cake.  The little things help to make you more aware of all good in your life. Be sure to also write down what you are thankful for about you – compliments you hear, strengths, skills, or natural abilities, or positive actions you take towards others – these will lead to increase self-love and confidence.

 

  1. Put these in a place that is accessible and visual to see; this will help to get you in the mode of filling the jar as well as enhancing your awareness of your great life.

 

The only other step is to commit to taking action on this and being consistent; I recommend writing at least three things daily or as you are more aware.  One thing that is in my box – I am thankful for all of you and feel blessed to have you as a part of my life.

 

 Action Plan

 

Make this week your official “Gratitude Week.”  Make your jar and begin filling it on a daily basis.  Pay it forward by passing the idea on to those in your circle so their lives are equally enhanced.  Be sure to pay attention to how your attitude and your life changes.

As a client of mine, who has been practicing her gratitude says: ‘Gratitude makes everything turn into a gift.”

I hope you have a successful week – If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, or in developing your action plan, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you build the career and business of your dreams!

 

Revisiting Christmas Random Acts of Kindness

Two years ago, I participated in a challenge so I’m revisiting Christmas random acts of kindness in the hopes you will do the same. This is the time of year that we need to be thinking of more than presents and parties. If I know anything, it’s that paying it forward leads to good things, for both the receiver and the giver.

I found study after study, along with many personal stories, of the impact that paying it forward has on both our brain and our body:

  • oxytocin is released which makes us feel better and more connected to to others; it leads to less anxiety and depression, and it increases self-satisfaction and confidence
  • it leads to less health problems, such as colds, as it strengthens our immune system; it also leads to less body aches, and having more energy for the tasks we need to complete
  • as less cortisol is released, the executive functions in the brain work more efficiently, leading to better thinking and decision making, to name a few; overall, performance improves
  • relationships are strengthened by bonding more with others; it also leads to having more empathy, which seems to be sorely lacking these days

The benefits of practicing random acts of kindness don’t just apply to adults – it leads to happier children, as well. Here are some ways s you can show kindness;  use them in your work, your family, and or yourself (we also need to be most kind to ourselves):

  • give compliments
  • send a card to a soldier or to someone in a nursing home
  • donate to charities, such as through money, clothes, books, food, or house goods – there are man people who are in need
  • take supplies to an animal shelter – blankets are needed, especially in the cold, but they can use food, shampoo, etc.
  • pay for the person in back of you in the drive-through; bring in bagels or other goodies to coworkers;
  • hold the door open for someone at the store or let someone out in traffic (or to merge)
  • help a coworker out
  • smile at everyone you see -it could make someone’s day

From my own experience, giving random acts of kindness works like gratitude – it takes the focus of of you and onto others, which spreads good karma.  I’m on day 850 of gratitude (from another challenge I did) and have found I’m able to deal with stress and any adversities easier and am happier, overall.  Now, I just need to work on being kind to when driving (lol).

Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

pumpkin-farm
Wishing you and your family a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with fun times with family and friends, and relaxation. Enjoy your day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your family a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with fun times with family and friends, and relaxation. Enjoy your day!

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