The concept of optimism is one with many misconceptions around it. It’s often mistaken for toxic positivity – the belief that no matter how dire a situation is, a person should maintain a happy mindset, suppressing all difficult emotions in favor of a cheerful and falsely positive façade. In truth, optimism is about seeing a negative experience as one that is temporary and changeable. Optimists view difficulties as something external to themselves, not a reflection of them because they are a bad person, and they know that it’s a specific situation that should not color every other aspect of life.
The natural trajectory of human nature is to become more pessimistic as we have more and more negative experiences and thoughts that accumulate over time. No matter where you are on the spectrum between optimist and pessimist, you can shift towards a more optimistic mindset through your spiritual work.
Here are 5 tips to adopt a more optimistic frame of mind:
1. Whatever challenge you are going through is a pit stop on the road of life, not the destination.
We are all forever in a process that takes our entire life (or even multiple lifetimes) to complete. We often mistakenly think that where we are right now is what the rest of our lives are going to be like. In truth, we are in the middle of life’s process – the messy middle is not the destination.
Remind yourself that you are still growing and changing, both in ways you may realize and ways you don’t. We never stop growing until we leave this world. That means that things can change at any moment and that you can transform yourself in powerful ways at any age.
2. Everything you experience changes you. Your consciousness determines how it changes you.
We are changed by everything we experience, whether we want to be or not. We either fall backward or jump forward, but we cannot stand still. Even the smallest moments can change us in meaningful ways.
The only surefire way to be changed in positive ways by the ups and downs of life is by actively thinking about how they are changing you and how you want to be changed by them. Instead of resisting change, embrace it with intention.
3. What you think about your life shapes how you experience it.
Everything begins with a thought. The way we experience every aspect of our lives is dictated by how we choose to think about it. Your ideas become words that become actions that create your experience. Your belief about how your day will unfold creates the way you experience that day, and what you think you deserve affects what comes to you.
It’s healthy and necessary to feel our negative emotions, but be mindful of how disappointments affect your thinking in the long-term. Once a person gets into a defeatist attitude or limited view of life, they put a cap on their success and happiness. Check yourself and remember that if you have an optimistic viewpoint and desire to grow and change, ultimately, you will succeed.
4. There is a force of pure goodness that is supporting you.
The fundamental force that created every one of us is a positive force, and its natural desire is to share goodness with us. When you really accept that and live your life based on that, you start to realize that there might be setbacks at times but that you are riding a wave of positive energy that is pushing you in the direction of more and more blessings. Having this consciousness allows you to tap into it.
The Creator wants us to have a lot more than we have. Our work is to understand and have that consciousness that connects to that wave. The more we spend time in that mindset, the more optimistic we can become.
5. Be open to messages from the Universe, even if they lead you in unexpected directions.
Knowing that the Creator is a force of goodness doesn’t mean that we get everything we want or that things always work out the way we think they should. Sometimes blessings are waiting to come to us, but the Creator knows we aren’t ready for the blessing. Winning the lottery can sometimes be the biggest curse!
Life is filled with things we don’t want to happen. In these moments, the Universe is sending us messages – sometimes it is that we made a mistake, and sometimes it’s a challenge for us to overcome. There is something to learn either way.
Know that we have a limited view of the world. We don’t understand everything because we can’t see the full picture. Be open to the Universe guiding you in the direction you are meant to go. Challenge yourself to stop and say, “What feedback am I supposed to get back from this experience or moment?”
Life will have its ups and downs, disappointments and failures, but the way to succeed is by nurturing an optimistic view. Often, it is the darkest moments where there is potential for great Light. Persevering through challenges allows us to become the great people we are meant to be. Recognize where you’ve become jaded and pessimistic, and actively nurture a growing optimistic view of your life and the world.
