Choosing Optimism

• 🌸 Hippocampus → imagination, memory, and hope
• 🌟 Striatum → motivation and persistence
• 💡 Prefrontal Cortex → turning hope into meaningful plans

A 26-year study of over 159,000 women found that optimistic women lived longer and were far more likely to reach age 90 or beyond.⁠

This held true after accounting for chronic health conditions, depression, lifestyle factors, education, and income.⁠

⁠Part of this works through behaviour; optimistic women exercise more, eat better, and take better care of themselves.⁠ ⁠Optimism also affects your biology directly; ⁠It lowers cortisol, reduces inflammation, protects cardiovascular function, and strengthens your stress response.⁠

⁠One of the most powerful things you can do for your longevity is to choose to expect good things. ⁠⁠To believe that your best years are still ahead of you – because they are. ⁠

Research shows that optimists are genuinely happier, healthier and wealthier. How you choose to see things affects how you feel and how you handle a situation and consequently affects the outcome. And being optimistic doesn’t mean you ignore the facts and reality – it means you work with what is in front of you in a more productive, solution-based manner.

What is optimism?

Characteristics of optimists

Most of us perceive our lives and the world around us in specific ways. For example, while some people are detail oriented, others may prefer to focus on the big picture. Another common difference in perception is related to how we view the future.

Optimism refers to a positive outlook on future events. People who believe in the likelihood of beneficial outcomes are considered optimistic. For example, someone who is optimistic might feel confident about their career prospects, despite uncertainty in the job market. Those who feel negatively about the future, however, are considered pessimistic.

What qualities do optimists share?

Optimism is linked to a variety of traits and tendencies, including the following:

• High self-esteem
• Positive view of others
• Gratitude
• Desire to achieve goals
• Resiliency
• Adaptability

Can you become more optimistic?

If you think of yourself as a naturally pessimistic person, you may not believe there is any way you can actually change your mentality to see the world as a more hopeful place. However, several evidence-based strategies have proven effective in cultivating a more optimistic mindset. Let’s explore ways to develop a more positive outlook through telehealth approaches.

How to think like an optimist: Shift your explanatory style

There are ways to minimize negative self-talk patterns associated with a pessimistic explanatory style. Making a conscious effort to reframe how you think about your circumstances can help train your brain to default to a more optimistic outlook.

Recognising and reframing negative thought patterns

When something upsetting happens — like missing an important video call — identify the negative thoughts about yourself that follow the event as they come up. If you think, “No wonder I missed the call; I’m always disorganized because I’m so scattered! I’ll probably miss tomorrow’s meeting too!” recognize that this is an example of a negative explanation that focuses on a bad quality in you, not on the situation itself.

Try to use positive thinking to reframe the situation more optimistically: “No wonder I missed the call — my internet connection was unstable this morning due to the storm. That’s unlikely to be a problem tomorrow.” With practice, your brain can learn to default to the positive explanatory style, focusing less on yourself and more on external factors, which cultivates a more positive outlook.

Start (or change up) a journaling practice

Journaling about personal and professional successes and things you are proud of can help build your self-esteem. High self-esteem is a protective factor against various mental conditions, and it can help you learn to think like an optimist. It becomes easier to assume positive outcomes when you believe in yourself.

Fostering optimism by practicing gratitude

A gratitude journal is one form of journaling associated with increased optimism levels. Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation for anything in your life that you find meaningful in a positive or constructive way. You can feel grateful for significant aspects of your daily life (perhaps a career that brings you a sense of purpose) or smaller things (perhaps a moment of connection with someone in a café).

To start a gratitude journal, take time every day to sit down for a few minutes and record one or two things that happened that day that you are grateful for. It is best to do this at the same time each day to establish a habit – many people enjoy gratitude journaling right before bed, so they go to sleep with a thankful heart. Knowing that you will be writing down what you are grateful for can motivate you to pay more attention to moments in your daily life that inspire gratitude, which may help to build a more optimistic mindset.

Expressing yourself can help you learn how to think like an optimist

Sometimes, journaling is thought of as a way to “vent” negative feelings. While this practice can certainly be beneficial, don’t forget that you can also use journaling to write about positive emotions; if you journal whenever you are feeling a happy emotion, you can start to notice the prevalence of happiness and joy in your life.

Keep in mind that journaling doesn’t have to include hand-writing paragraphs of complete sentences; perhaps you could jot down bullet points in a small notebook you keep on you, or maybe you record your entries on your phone or computer.

Practicing mindfulness

Higher levels of mindfulness have been linked to lower levels of rumination, which is the tendency to focus excessively on perceived personal shortcomings or unfortunate experiences (closely linked to pessimism).

Understanding mindful optimism

Mindful optimism is about cultivating a positive mindset while being fully present in the moment. It involves recognising and accepting your current feelings and circumstances without judgment, while also maintaining hope and a belief in positive possibilities for the future. This approach can enhance resilience and overall well-being.

Techniques to practice mindful opptimism

Gratitude Journaling: Regularly write down things you are grateful for. This practice helps shift your focus from negative thoughts to positive aspects of your life, reinforcing an optimistic outlook.

Positive Visualisation: Spend time imagining your best possible self and envisioning positive outcomes in various aspects of your life. This can help clarify your goals and foster a hopeful mindset.

Mindfulness Meditation: Engage in mindfulness practices that focus on the present moment. This can include observing your breath, tuning into your body sensations, or simply being aware of your surroundings. Mindfulness helps reduce stress and increases positive emotions.

Reframing Negative Thoughts: When faced with challenges, practice reframing your thoughts to focus on potential solutions and positive outcomes rather than dwelling on the negatives. This cognitive shift can help cultivate a more optimistic perspective.

Surround Yourself with Positivity: Engage with positive people and consume uplifting content, such as books, podcasts, or media that inspire you. Positive influences can enhance your own optimistic mindset.

Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reinforce your optimistic beliefs. Repeating affirmations can help shift your mindset and build confidence in your ability to handle challenges.

Further Reading:

• 4 Tips to Be More Optimistic | Psychology Today
• 9 Ways To Embrace Optimism – And Why You Must!
• How to Cultivate Optimism for Better Mental Health