Index
Optimism is a capacity that allows us to positively value every aspect of life, be it good or bad; in this way, it helps the individual to find solutions and see the positive side of things. People with a great capacity for optimism manage to face obstacles with more courage and perseverance.
How does optimism affect our well-being?
Optimism has been highlighted as an important evolutionary part of human survival. It has been shown that we cannot have negative, angry or depressed thoughts for a long time without having consequences for our mental and physical health . On the other hand, when we practice being optimistic, we begin to enlighten ourselves, to find solutions and answers, instead of getting stuck in unsolvable problems, this allows us to enjoy good health and increases our vitality.
Shelley E. Taylor (professor of psychology at the University of California) in her book “Positive Illusions”, argued that positive distortions of personal attributes, mastery and evaluation of the future are generalized and actually the true sign of healthy people. , are optimism and the desire to move forward.
Recent studies have shown that optimistic-minded people are twice as likely to have ideal mental and cardiovascular health. These studies also confirm the relationship between optimism and good health, with results ranging from optimistic mothers who deliver healthy babies to HIV patients who are optimistic and less affected by the virus.
Optimism is related to positive outcomes ranging from increased life expectancy to positive changes in a subject’s physical and mental health. It is also correlated with greater success in sports, work, and school areas, higher recovery rates from heart operations, and better coping strategies in the face of adversity.
It is estimated that the low level of optimism in new mothers who have recently given birth, may be a determinant of postpartum depression . This type of depression arises when mothers cannot face the radical change that the arrival of a new being entails, for this reason they become overwhelmed and begin to see everything in a pessimistic way; But you have to know that pessimism and depression generally go hand in hand. The same occurs in patients with severe clinical conditions, where pessimism reduces the quality of life of the patient and makes him more prone to aggravate diseases or contract them. These examples are based on the direct relationship between mental health and physical health, where the mind influences the body and the body influences the mind. For this reason, by taking things that happen to us with a minimum of optimism, we can be positively changing our interior.
Relationship between optimism and pessimism
As we well know, optimism and pessimism are opposite . Therefore, if optimism tends to be defined as a positive state of mind that generates hope, motivation and desire to move forward in people; pessimism will tend to be defined as a negative state of mind that generates in individuals a desire to surrender, a feeling of being stagnant, demotivated and hopeless.
According to Seligman (American psychologist) in his book “The Optimistic Child”, pessimism is an ingrained mental habit that has radical and disastrous consequences: depressed mood, low self-esteem , resignation, poor performance and even unexpectedly poor physical health.
Unlike optimistic people, who generally try to solve situations and seek solutions in the best way, pessimistic people tend to see everything in the dark, get stuck in their negative thoughts and only see problems without solutions ; They even sometimes refuse to look for solutions – even though they know they exist.
Pessimistic people are more likely to present mood and personality alterations – personality disorders -.
It has been shown that optimistic patients enjoy a better quality of life than pessimistic patients, It has also been seen that patients with severe diseases who have the ability to see their situation in a positive way, recover more quickly than pessimistic patients, which plunge into a depressed and hopeless state of mind.
How to be an optimistic person?
Below we will detail a list of skills that you are surely capable of doing so that your days are full of positive energy.
Think positive
You can stay positive without turning a blind eye to the bad times in life. By this I mean that you can stay optimistic without looking the other way. You must be aware of what is happening and have hope and self-confidence during bad times.
After all, hope is a necessary component to achieving happiness and helping to enlighten your mind.
Search solutions
To be optimistic you must focus on finding solutions and not looking for problems; You can find millions of problems, but the important thing is to look for solutions and focus your energy on finding them.
Believe in yourself
Change your mindset and get motivated. It is very important if you want to achieve any goal that you change your way of thinking, you must put insecurity aside, because only if you really want it and have faith in yourself can you achieve it satisfactorily. But also remember that positive thinking is useless if you do not have true motivation and perseverance.
Enjoy to the fullest
Every moment of your life is special, enjoy the big and small things, because sometimes in the little pleasures we can find great moments of happiness. Open yourself to receive love and give it to those around you, also carry out activities that fill you with joy and good energy.
Persevere and you will succeed
You must be aware that whatever you set your mind to you can achieve if you have perseverance and faith in yourself. Be patient, focus on what you want to achieve and believe in yourself, hope is the last thing you lose.
Start your day with a purpose
Value what you have and be grateful for it. At the end of the day, think about everything you have achieved and introspect daily to help you maintain a good self-criticism and be a better person.
Celebrate your achievements and accept your failures
Be aware of your achievements, enjoy them, celebrate them and value the effort made to reach them. Also accept your failures, because there is no person who has not failed in their purposes, learn from your mistakes and use them to build on them.
Do not accept destructive criticism
Don’t let people with negative thoughts think for you or make decisions for you; we are unique and independent beings and not all of us think alike. Therefore they may fail to understand you, guiding you with advice that may not help you build.
Your mind is unique in the world, you must appreciate it and assert it.
Be happy
Decide to want to be happy without putting barriers in the middle, be aware that the only person who can interfere in your life is yourself, you decide to be happy or not.
Hello Readers, I am Nikki Bella a Psychology student. I have always been concerned about human behavior and the mental processes that lead us to act and think the way we do. My collaboration as an editor in the psychology area of Well Being Pole has allowed me to investigate further and expand my knowledge in the field of mental health; I have also acquired great knowledge about physical health and well-being, two fundamental bases that are directly related and are part of all mental health.