How To Train Your Brain To Be More Optimistic

How To Train Your Brain To Be More Optimistic

Small changes in your mindset can make a big difference.

Negativity is a disease that can ruin your life forever. It’s something I see people catch all the time. One thing in their life goes wrong, and it quickly sends them down an endless spiral of resentment and pessimism. They stop seeing the good in everything. They lose hope of a better future. And within a short amount of time, they lose all faith in their ability to succeed. That’s not a good way to live.

But if there’s one thing that’s changed my life, it’s optimism. I always focus on everything that’s going well, instead of the things that aren’t. As a result of adopting that mindset, I’ve managed to create a much happier life than I ever thought possible. It doesn’t matter if you want an amazing career, family, relationship, or anything else. Optimism is the key to everything you’ve ever wanted. So if you want to change your life for the better, here are several mindset shifts that you can adopt right now to become a lot more optimistic.

Accept Yourself, And Everything Else Will Fall Into Place.

“It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.” — Marcus Aurelius

Although that quote was written thousands of years ago, it still stands true to this very day. We place an incredibly high importance on the opinions of other people. But what we should really care about is how we perceive ourselves. According to research published by Harvard Medical School, “people with high self-esteem are happier as well as more likely to undertake difficult tasks and persist in the face of failure. They recover more quickly from disasters and may be quicker to recognize and abandon hopeless enterprises.”

I used to spend a lot of time worrying. I’d continuously overthink and wonder what other people thought of me. So naturally, I was willing to do pretty much anything to make them happy. But over the past few years, I’ve learned that you can’t please everyone. It’s a terrible strategy that’s doomed to fail. Because when you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to nobody.

The reason? Your personality will be extremely dull as you’re scared of saying something wrong that will make people dislike you. Listen, the only person’s opinion of you that should genuinely matter is your own. If you can act with integrity, honesty, and humility each day, you’ll begin to see yourself in a more positive light.

Remember That Complaining Is A Waste Of Time.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” — Henry David Thoreau

If constantly worrying about something won’t change the outcome, what’s the point? There is none. It’s not worth your time or energy. This mindset shift took me a while to understand. But once I did, it changed my life forever. I started looking at everything with a perspective of optimism instead of pessimism. And within a matter of weeks, I found myself living a much happier life than ever before.

Complaining about circumstances outside of your control is terrible for your mental health. As Robert Biswas-Diener writes in Psychology Today:

“One unfortunate downside to both venting and to chronic complaining is that it can dampen people’s moods. In one series of studies, researchers tracked people’s moods before and after hearing a complaint. As predicted, listening to gripes made people feel worse. What’s more, the complainer also felt worse.”

You need to stop complaining. Instead, make an effort to see every obstacle as an opportunity to become a better person. For example, if you’re stuck in traffic, put on an audiobook, so you can learn something new. We can’t choose what events happen to us, only our reaction to them. So instead of worrying about the things you cannot change, a much better strategy is to focus solely on what you can.

Don’t Hang Out With People That Bring You Down.

“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground.” — Wilfred Peterson

I’m about to share a truth bomb with you that most people take a lifetime to realize. If people aren’t trying to help you become your best self, they’re probably holding you back. So if you want to be more optimistic, it’s vital to evaluate the people in your social circle.

Research shows that who you spend time with has a massive impact on your overall wellbeing. Quoting an article published by Metro UK:

“Good social networks can help reduce the likelihood of experiencing feelings of sadness, loneliness, or low self-esteem. Our relationships with friends and family can play a huge role in our mental wellbeing, particularly when managing mental health issues like stress, depression, or anxiety.”

If you hang around with pessimistic people, you’ll naturally adopt a similar way of thinking. Similarly, hanging out with optimistic people will inspire you to think differently and fulfill your potential in every aspect of your life. Surround yourself with people that are willing to support you, so you can become your best self. Spend more time with people who genuinely want you to succeed. The effect it’ll have on your mindset is incredible.

You Can’t Change The Past. Stop Worrying About It.

“There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will. ” — Epictetus

It’s no secret that many people tend to look back on the past with feelings of shame and regret. Quoting an article published by the BBC:

“Brooding too much on negative events is the biggest predictor of depression and anxiety and determines the level of stress people experience. The research even suggests a person’s psychological response is a more important factor than what has actually happened to them.”

From personal experience, I’ve learned that we often spend our days wishing for things to be different and for our lives to have gone in another direction. However, that type of thinking is counter-productive. Because unless you have a time machine that I don’t know about, you can’t change the past.

You can’t go back and correct all of your mistakes so you can live a better life. But what you can change is your mindset in the present moment, so you can create a better future. It’s important to remember that you’re not going to become incredibly optimistic overnight. But if you can make a little bit of progress each day, the power of compound interest will enable you to create a much better mindset over time.

Remember That Gratitude Is A Superpower.

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” — Marcus Aurelius

Research published by Harvard Medical School shows that “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” Look, wishing for your circumstances to change won’t make you happy. Instead, it’ll make you miserable, as you’ll always hope for things to be different from how they really are.

Over the past few years, I’ve tried to make the most of every situation and to be grateful for everything that happens. At first, this was a difficult mindset shift to make. I thought it was silly and a little cliche. But then I gave it a go. I started practicing gratitude for everything I had, instead of wishing for things I didn’t. And sure enough, I quickly found myself feeling a lot happier & optimistic than ever before. Practicing gratitude isn’t just a habit; it’s a way of life.