Is your glass half-empty or half-full? The way you answer this question can play a role in your mental health status.
Someone who sees their glass as half-empty sees lack and negativity in their life, that something is missing, they are pessimistic. Whereas someone who sees their glass as half-full is seeing the world with opportunity for growth, viewing the world with optimism.
Life is all about perspective. We have said it before and we will say it again, you cannot control the things that happen around you, however you can control how you react to them. Be the person who sees things as an opportunity for growth.
Now, we know that sometimes life can be challenging. It can be difficult to look at negative situations and think that something good can come out of them.
Here are some tips to maintaining an optimistic outlook:
Focus on what you get to do, instead of what you must do – feeling obligated to do something can have a negative effect on your personal attitude. You may feel forced to do something, and no one likes to be forced into something. Instead, think of the task or situation as a time to show gratitude. You are grateful you have a job; you are grateful you have time to work out; and you are grateful that God has provided you with another day to live! By looking at obligations as something you get to do, you can tackle these tasks with a positive outlook. Practice an attitude of gratitude!
Practice dealing with rejection with a sense of humor – rejection can be hard to deal with. If you do not take rejection well, you might even be someone who avoids opportunities out of fear of failure or being told no. But if you do not try, how will you ever succeed? Failure is an opportunity to reflect for a better next time! Individuals who can take rejection find it much easier to keep working towards their goals. Think “critical thinker,” not “critical person!” Throw a little humor into the situation and you may find that the issue may not even be that bad!
Surround yourself with light – Beware of the company you keep. Do your friends lift you up with words of encouragement, provide laughter, and help you grow as an individual? Or do you have a group of friends who are always complaining about everything and judge others? You become like those you surround yourself with. You cannot surround yourself with negative people and expect to live a positive life. It will be a never-ending battle. Find positive friends!
Power of prayer – Whether you are a follower of Christ or you follow a different faith, find the strength in scripture and being consistent. Luke 1:37 states, “God can do all things; there is nothing impossible for Him.” We so often think that we must deal with our struggles on our own when the truth is, our problems are not our problems. Think about the greatness that you can accomplish with God by your side. God will only go to the places that you allow Him to, so take time to pray each day. Show Him love and appreciation for the gifts He is providing you with and rely on Him to help you with your struggles.
Practice a healthy lifestyle – Eating healthy “real” foods and exercising and moving our bodies regularly will make us feel better. It sure is a whole lot easier to approach life with optimism if you feel good – thus another reason to get healthy!
Choose optimism for yourself! For YOU. And hey, optimism has great health benefits! Reduces heart attack risk, reduces stress, increases happiness, improves confidence, reduces risk of chronic diseases, strengthens the spirit, improves chances of success, drives the ability to make changes, strengthens our minds, helps us live longer, and helps heal the body! Who doesn’t want these things! Life is a gift.
Cheers!
