How to Become an Optimist: 3 Daily Habits To Help You Get Started

How to Become an Optimist: 3 Daily Habits To Help You Get Started

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Winston Churchill

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
Anais Nin

One of the most common questions people ask me via email is how to become more of an optimist.

So this week I’d simply like to share three habits that can help you to get started with that.

I use these myself just about every day to stay optimistic in pretty much any situation.

It may sometimes take a while before I find an optimistic thread of thought but these three habits usually help me to do it.

1. Ask yourself questions that let you see the optimistic viewpoint.

When I’m in what seems like a negative situation my most common way of making something better out of that is to ask myself questions that promote optimism and helps me to find solutions.

Questions like:

  • What is one thing that is positive or good about this situation?
  • What is one thing I can learn from this situation?
  • What is one opportunity within this situation?

These questions are not something that I can always use right away. Sometimes I need some time to process and accept the feelings and thoughts that arise.

But after a bit of time, when those thoughts and feelings have mostly passed, I ask myself one or more of these questions.

2. Get optimistic support from the world around you.

One of the most important factors if you want to be able to stay optimistic are the influences around you.

Optimism is – just like enthusiasm – contagious.

So find ways to create an environment that supports you.

The people in your life.

Try to spend more time with optimistic people and less time with people who seem to always be negative about things.

Positive people will support you, add upbeat energy and can help you to find a constructive change in perspective when you have a situation that is bringing you down and when you are just making a mountain out of a molehill.

The information you let into your mind.

One of the easiest things you can do to create and support your own optimism is simply to regularly read blogs and books and listen to or watch recordings created by optimistic people.

3. Start your day in an optimism creating way.

The way you start your day often sets the tone for the rest of it.

A stress-free morning leads to less stress and better focus during your day.

A work out early in your day leads to more energy throughout the day.

And optimism while you are eating your cereal or traveling to work or school can help you to stay positive and constructive as you go through the ups and downs of your day.

Three practical ways to get this good start is to:

  • Read or watch something optimistic or funny for 10-20 minutes during your morning.
  • Have an uplifting conversation over breakfast or early in your day.
  • Listen to a motivating audiobook or podcast as you ride the bus, your bicycle or while you’re walking somewhere.
 

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About the Author

Henrik Edberg is the creator of the Positivity Blog and has written weekly articles here since 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Gothenburg and has been featured on Lifehacker, HuffPost and Paulo Coelho’s blog. Click here to learn more…

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Have been going through all your post and i really love what am seeing

  • Santosh Shrikhande

    Thank you for sharing the realistic thought.

    I believe it will change my prospective.

  • Rebecca Adams

    I love The Positivity Blog! I love it because when I least expect it or don’t realize I need it…the article comes into my inbox. I take a few minutes (because that is all it takes) and read them and I know for a fact it helps me that day and other days. I save them and find when I am having a difficult day/week it is a great reminder on how to stay positive or how to deal with disappointment, etc. This blog/email is a benefit to my life.

  • Marcello

    Thanks for sharing those tips every week !! I’m so glad to Ted them:)

  • Bente

    I am thankful for having these realistic optimisms. Hopefully my attitudes must be diverted into a newly born life.

    With regain to them, thank you so much. May God do you more powerful always.

  • Wireko Sophia

    It’s really helped me today because I was going through a lot today but as I read it,I love it

  • well done my dear friend . i like your all artical’s and your all those quote’s. thank you for this great artical.

  • Cyd

    Thank you. Your wisdom makes a positive difference in the world!

  • DR N K ARORA

    Stay motivated throughout the day and not put by the negative results for negative. Happiness can really boost your immunity,your brain power and your energy. It is the secret of the energy which increases many fold, if you are motivated by your own ideas, by your own thoughts for through out the day with the angle with which you are thinking and with the angle which you are seeing and interpreting and analysing everything with your thought process and to look upon the things in your own positive interpretations, the things will change automatically towards success happiness and prosperity.

  • Great article. I believe optimism is super important for reaching my best self. I will be putting your tips to the test.

  • Anonymous

    Really good insights! I’ve started reading the Bible every morning and it sets the tone for the day. Great tips you have there as well, specially with the questions when going through a difficult situation. Thank you

  • Shary

    Henrik, your ability to share helpful , positive thoughts and personalize them to ‘us’ lucky subscribers is a talent and a gift.

    One thought I always go to is: what is one thing I can do right now about a problem.

    Re: being positive…starting the day positively; I dance around to old upbeat music of the 50’s & 60’s. Feeding myself positive thoughts too, has changed my life over time in a huge way.

    Thank-you, Henrik. These blogs are timeless. You / your postings are on my Gratitude List. ?

  • Steven A Riggle

    Dear Henrik – For over 2-years, I have been enlightened by The Positivity Blog. It has literally changed my life for the better. Thank you! All the Success to keep going forward!!!