The power of optimism – benefits and tips

Optimism describes how a person is always looking for the best in any situation and it’s a tendency to believe that things will turn out well. Everyone is faced with difficult situations in life but it’s our attitude towards a problem that will determine how we overcome it. A problem is not ‘big’ or ‘small’, it’s our mind and the way we think. When we start thinking optimistically we can overcome even the biggest challenges in life. However, when we are not very optimistic than even the smallest change in life becomes difficult to deal with. Optimism is what helps us deal with unexpected change, and inevitable disappointments. It prompts us to learn from mistakes rather than feel defeated by them.

Benefits of optimistic thinking

Better physical and mental health – research suggests that optimism is considered as a protective factor with regards to physical and mental health. There is evidence that “optimistic people present a higher quality of life compared to those with low levels of optimism or even pessimists”. Studies have found that optimistic people are less likely to experience depressive symptoms and they also have a better physical health.

Allows you to deal with failure constructively – optimistic people learn from their failures and see it as an opportunity to start to something new, something great. Optimists see an opportunity, where others may see obstacles.

Success – optimistic people are more committed to their goals and as a result are more likely to achieve their goals and be more successful in life.

Inspiration for others – optimistic people radiate a positive vibe and inspire people around them.  Optimists make great leaders, inspiring and motivating their team to achieve their goals.

 

Tips for being more optimistic

Focus on solutions not the problems –  instead of being stressed over a problem think about the what you can do to make this situation better. Once you start thinking about the solution more ideas will come to your mind and you will be able to deal with it better. Anything is possible if you are motivated enough to work for it. However, if you start stressing over a little change or a little problem, your mind will start making mountains out of a molehill and the situation will only get worse.

Look at the positive side– no matter how difficult a situation may be, there is always a positive side to it.  Always look for positive in everything – even with people, focus on their strengths not weakness.

Take care of yourself –  take care of your body and mind, eat healthy foods, do regular exercise. Having a healthy body and mind makes us happier which leads to a more optimistic attitude. Optimism is also greatly linked to self-love – there’s more on self-love in my previous blog.

Express gratitude- expressing regular gratitude is an important part of being more positive and optimistic. Practicing gratitude not only makes you feel good but also makes you alert to the things you should be grateful for.

Surround yourself with positive people- always be around positive people – these kinds of people make you feel good about yourself and motivate you to work on your goals.  This doesn’t mean you stop talking to your friends or family – just consider the people who inspire you and motivate you. Those that don’t just set your boundaries with them and if need limit the interaction.

Have faith – not every optimistic person has religious faith, but many do. The people who do have religious faith, a huge source of their positivity comes from faith in God. Having a believe that God knows best and that he is bigger than your obstacles makes you feel good.

“Do not lose hope, nor be sad” – Quran 3:139

Having faith in God and reading his book provides you with a huge source of inspiration and positivity.  Also have faith in your people – there is so much more good in this world than we see.

6 Simple ways to love yourself!

As humans we all crave love –  we often spend a lot of energy loving other people like friends and family. But can we truly love others or expect others to love us without us loving ourselves? Self-love is a prioritization and acceptance of one’s self. Once we truly start loving ourselves for who we are, life becomes more beautiful and meaningful. When we put ourselves on top of the list we tend have more positive attitude towards life and we are more satisfied with life. This leads to better physical and mental health. Self-loving people are less likely to be caught up in negative thoughts and they don’t require other people’s approval or appreciation – these people have better mental health and are less likely to develop illnesses like depression and anxiety.

6 Tips to love yourself!

Take care of yourself –  the most important thing you can do to love yourself is to take care of your mind, body, and soul. Make yourself your priority, invest in your physical and mental health –  health is one of the biggest blessings we have, and we only come to know the true value of it when its gone. So, realise it’s worth and start taking care of it – employ healthy habits – eat a balanced diet, do regular exercise, meditate, and just focus on all your body’s needs.

Self-acceptance – accepting yourself for who you are will lead to a higher self-esteem and confidence. No one is perfect- everyone has flaws. Learn to accept your flaws and failures and work on yourself. As humans we tend to focus more on negative- but people have good qualities too. List out your good qualities, reflect on them daily and give yourself credit for it.  Don’t compare yourself to others, everyone is different – focus on yourself and your personal and professional development.

Pamper yourself – give yourself credit every time you do a good deed- this will not only motivate you do more good but also make you happy. On occasions give yourself a gift – we always give gifts to the people we love right! So why not give ourselves a gift occasionally.  Do the things that make you happy – play sports, go to a spa, go on a holiday, cook, read, write, do whatever makes you happy.

Be honest to yourself – listen to your inner self and be honest yourself.  Don’t pretend to be a person you are not just to please someone. If someone likes you, let them like you for who you are.

Be optimistic –  another important tip to self-love is employing an optimistic attitude towards everything in life (I will talk more about optimism in my next blog).

Learn gratitude – Be grateful for what you have and what you don’t. give yourself 5 minutes everyday to focus on the blessings you have – because often we take for granted the blessings we have and complain about the materialistic things we don’t have.

“It’s a beautiful thing to have lungs that allow you to breath air and legs that allow you to climb mountains, and it’s a shame we don’t realize that that’s enough”.

                                            -Paul Kalanithi

This quote by Paul Kalanithi, the author of ‘when breath becomes air’ is quite powerful in sense that it makes us realize that we have so much to be grateful for even when we may think we have nothing.