We should seek optimism not only for its health benefits, but also for its emotional benefits.
Those who have a good grasp on optimism will always see the light at the end of the tunnel.
-Nancy Salmeron
I am blessed that I get to interact with positive people on a daily basis. The other night, I was at a party having a conversation with a friend who is sunshine for anyone who crosses her path. She is the type of person who will tell you how beautiful you are and shower you with blessings and optimism. I love conversations with her because she will listen to my troubles but very quickly remind me of my blessings.
Unfortunately, I hear complaints from other friends who tend to dwell on their pain, that my optimistic friend is “unrealistic” and that “she is a bit too much.” Let me assure you that I believe that positive thinkers are not ignoring reality. Yes, we must embrace the challenges of reality. But I see that positivity, faith, and joy are what make my friend the ray of sunshine who we all need when we are feeling blue. Those who complain about her feel that she does not give them an opportunity for venting about life’s disappointments. I understand that. As a life coach, I get that it is within our human nature to seek those who will fuel the fire of our disappointment. And, as a coach, I have learned to listen to my clients’ complaints about the challenges of life so they feel heard.
Yet, I have a time limit on listening to complaints. I give everybody five minutes to whine and complain. Then, when this time is up, we move on. I agree with my friend’s idea that complaining does not make things better. In fact, complaining keeps you stuck in a hole. Yet, we also need to validate a broken ego, because it is part of who we are. To be optimistic about our troubles, we must recognize that those challenges, which crush our hearts, have a time limit. Those who befriend optimism understand that if they dwell too much on the negative, it will keep them in negative situations. Those eternally optimistic people like my friend are not free from the difficulties of life. They simply know how to surf those dark waves with ease.
Today, let’s talk about how being optimistic is not being unrealistic. It actually gets you closer to finding the calm in the storm. Let’s talk about the benefits of being optimistic.
Optimism makes you take a proactive approach.
When you decide to let optimism be your response to your failures, you are saying yes to faith. You understand that being proactive is not about reacting to your situation, but instead letting faith shed light on the situation, which eventually will pass. To be proactive is to understand that although things fall apart, you will overcome your troubles.
When you are optimistic about life, you don’t engage in negative self-talk.
Yes, those negative thoughts linger, but you learn to ignore them. You learn to listen to what they are saying, and then let them go. When you disengage from negative thoughts you are less likely to get depressed or anxious about life. You understand that you have the power to turn off those thoughts and beliefs that take away your power.
Optimistic people engage in humor.
Those who see the positive side to negative situations engage in humor. Even when there are real-life challenges, these individuals often find something funny about the situation and laugh about it. Optimistic people can simply see the potential of a situation being funny, and it takes away stress. They also seek out friends who will laugh about negative situations with them.
To be optimistic in life takes a great deal of work. It is not easy to analyze the thinking patterns that bring you down or to let them go when you have identified them. Yet, with time and practice, it is possible. Engage in humor and take a proactive approach to your negative thinking. Research suggests that optimistic people have better coping skills, stronger immune systems, and a lower rate of cardiovascular disease. We should seek optimism not only for its health benefits, but also for its emotional benefits. Those who have a good grasp on optimism will always see the light at the end of the tunnel. Until next time, Believe. Change. Become.