Are you born to be an optimist?

Are you born to be an optimist?

You have probably heard the question before: “Is the glass half full or half empty?” Some people see the glass as half empty. Others see it as half full. But is it really as simple as that?

According to the world’s foremost expert on optimism, Dr. Martin Seligman, everyone is born optimistic. And yet, 95% of grownups are pessimists, not optimists! You might ask: “What’s the difference?” For example, when faced with a problem, an optimist tends to find the upside to the situation and starts figuring out ways to solve that problem, or ways to turn it around. Meanwhile, a pessimist, however, immediately throws up his hands, and yells, “That’s it; it’s all over. I can’t handle this anymore.” Or the pessimist will distance himself from the problem, pretending it doesn’t matter. This is denial, and it never works.

You might also ask: “Why are we born optimists and turn out to be pessimists?” That is a really good question.

Psychology today gives us an interesting clue:

When you think about it, you will probably find out, that you are an optimist sometimes and a pessimist other times. Ironically, a lot of times things turn out according to how we feel about the situation. If you feel like something will go well or feel optimistic about it, it usually seems to go well.

The same is true of the reverse. When you feel like something will go badly, it tends to do just that. Yes, we are talking self-fulfilling prophecy here. However, we all have our preference. Some of us think more optimistic than others.

Do the test and find out if you are leaning more to the pessimistic or optimistic side

With the test below, You can find out if you are more on the optimistic side or rather the pessimistic one.

If you scored between 56 and 76: you are a very positive person. Keep up with it and be happy and proud that you are a genuine positive thinker.You an extremely supportive person to yourself and anyone who you come in contact with – you’re someone whose optimism is a powerful healing force, possible mentally and physically.

If you scored between 26 and 55: you have some potential for being a more positive thinking person. Work on thinking more positive and you will see a difference in your life in no time.

If you scored between 0-25: You tend to be rather pessimistic. This negative thinking you are doing can even have an impact on your health! You should definitely work on the way how you perceive the world. The good news is: you can actively do something about it!

An indication that you are dealing with a pessimist is in a simple phrase they will use in stressful situations. This phrase is “I can’t”.

The pessimist is helpless, powerless and it shows in his response. The optimist responds with – “I won’t”. The optimist is making a conscious choice, not just reacting. An optimist prefers to think more positively. They focus on what they really want, not what might happen to them.

Think about the following statements:

  • Optimists achieve their goals because they never give up
  • Optimists attract Success naturally
  • Optimists are happier, healthier and more energetic than pessimists
  • Optimists are easier to be around, inspiring people around to be positive
  • Optimists live longer and suffer from fewer and less severe diseases
  • Besides the above, optimists lead higher quality of life.

These are all probably true just by the fact that optimists’ positive thinking makes challenging situations “not that bad” after all.
To clarify, true optimism is not sitting back and thinking positive thoughts all the time and hoping everything will turn out all right. Absolutely not. It’s how you see the world – positively – rather than negatively. You face each situation, each problem, and each occasion with a positive attitude; and you always look forward to the “benefits” you will derive from it.
You have a choice.

In short, remember, you may not like your life situation or the world around you, but your attitude will also impact your overall health and may determine your life’s future outcomes! Now, it is up to you, are you satisfied where you stand with your attitude or do seek to improve it wherever you scored? If you want to improve it, you might get your hands onto my free ebook 7 Ways to Boost a Positive Mindset.

Change YOUR THOUGHTS and Change YOUR WORLD”
Norman Vincent Peale.

What it comes down to is that your attitude is a conscious choice. For instance, if you choose pessimism, you’re choosing to see the down side of every situation, judge people unfairly, and live unhappily the rest of your life. What an oppressive existence!

On the other hand, if you choose optimism, you’re empowering yourself to see the positive side of each challenge, seeing the good in people, helping them to see the good in life too. Taking action to further improve your own life, and living happily with friends and family who care about you. Attracting all good to yourself.

To clarify, choosing to be more optimistic and positive does not mean you won’t encounter difficult times, trauma, loss and many challenges.

What it does mean is that you will have more power on your side to help you through those tough times.
You’ll bounce back faster and make better choices, rather than letting life just wash over you. You’ll learn to be proactive, instead of reactive.

If you’re not naturally optimistic and positive, don’t worry.

You can learn how to use your thoughts to change your attitude and emotions. It won’t be easy. Some days will be very challenging, but you can do it. Improving your optimism rates is one of the most important actions you can take to improve your life. It doesn’t come automatically, though. It takes effort; it takes deliberate, conscious awareness of your thoughts and feelings. And then acting on that awareness.

How to get started being optimistic

For example, each time you think a negative thought, stop right there and turn it around to find the positive aspect of the situation. Do this each time and build on it. As a result, it will become a habit to be positive and upbeat about your life.

Practice your ‘positive thinking’ and your ‘positive feeling’. Give yourself permission to think new thoughts and feel new feelings. You can be as optimistic as you want. Try it!

And don’t forget to grab your FREE ebook today: 👇👇👇

7 WAYS TO BOOST A POSITIVE MINDSET

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi, I’m Caydee Schwarz and I write about personal development, success and happiness.
Let’s be honest: all of us want to live a happy life and fulfilled life. And every day, a lot of us fail in our attempt to get there. Our thoughts, the right inner attitude and the right knowledge empower us to create our life according to our wishes. Knowing what our mission is and what makes us truly happy is the foundation to a happy and fulfilled life. I’ll help you lay that foundation – so you can live the life you want.

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