Optimism.
An effervescent cheerful spirit.
Always looking for the good in everything.
Seeing the glass half full, instead of half empty.
Sounds really good – on the surface. Right?
Opponents of positive thinking have argued that it’s simply another way of hiding from reality. They contend that it’s just a soft and fluffy concept that carries no weight in the “real world.”
But is this true? Is optimism only a simplistic and unattainable ideal?
Or could optimism be your path to a better life? And if so, what is the key to unlocking it?
Why Self-Talk Is the Key to Optimism
Every emotion starts with a thought.
When you think negative thoughts you create negative feelings. Negative feelings narrow your mind and limit the options you see. They prevent you from making the best choice. Anger, stress, and discouragement can consume you and rob you of the motivation to move forward. Hence, you end up being paralyzed.
When you think positive thoughts you create positive feelings. Positive feelings open your mind to more options. Love, joy, and contentment help broaden your sense of possibilities and fuel your motivation. You begin to explore your potential.
Think about the implications:
- Optimistic people are happier – Optimists focus outwardly, on other people. Their focus increases their capacity of love for others. This leads to them being loved in return.
- Optimistic people are healthier – Optimists cope better with stressful situations. Reduced stress, in turn, lessens harmful effects on their health.
- Optimistic people are more successful – Optimists are motivated and open minded. This makes them work more productively, learn quicker, set higher goals, and achieve more.
Optimism can open up a whole new world for you. The goal, then, is to reduce negative thoughts but increase positive thinking. What’s the key to accomplishing this?
Self-talk.
It has an enormous influence in channeling your thoughts and emotions – for the good or the bad. Learning, therefore, to turn the negative self-talk into a positive conversation leads you to become more optimistic. Consequently, optimism can help you to live a better life.
How to Use Self-Talk to Create Positive Thinking
Optimism is about more than being happy and cheerful. An optimist looks for the valuable lesson in every situation and applies what they learn.
Notice, for example, some of this negative self-talk and how you can turn each notion into a positive thought:
- Nobody ever talks to me.
Tell yourself: I can start the conversation myself.
- I’ve never done this before in my life.
Tell yourself: I can learn from taking this opportunity.
- I don’t have enough time to get it done.
Tell yourself: I can re-evaluate and shift my priorities.
- It’s just too complicated to do.
Tell yourself: I can tackle the matter from a different angle.
- I stink at this, always have.
Tell yourself: I can give myself another chance at it.
But positive self-talk doesn’t just mean shifting your thoughts from negative to positive in specific situations. You can apply it in a much broader sense to increase positive emotions all day long.
Consider using these two ways daily:
1. Meditation – Meditative focus on positive self-talk creates a positive mindset. This helps you cherish every moment, have a purpose in life, give and receive social support, and even lessen the symptoms of illnesses.
2. Journaling – Recording positive experiences is positive self-talk. The best thing is, you can read it over and over again. This will consistently increase the effects of positive emotions and bring about better mood levels.
Just remember, don’t expect to become an optimist overnight. It takes practice and focus to succeed and create a better life. Give yourself time!
