It is of real benefit to you and others to be an optimist these days. All we hear about is doom and gloom about the economic climate. If that isn’t enough, we still have to hear about the apocalyptic global warming threat. So what makes an optimist? What makes some people have a positive attitude, while others wallow in their misery? Follow these tips to guarantee a feeling of optimism!

1) When something good happens to you, acknowledge that it was you who made it happen! I believe that there is no such thing as luck. Imagine that you secured a job that had several other applicants – all with great qualifications. You get the job. Congratulate yourself on your own abilities, qualities, and efforts that have ensured that you got the position. Never think that you were in the right place at the right time and that you were simply lucky with the interview questions. You passed the interview and got the job because of the qualities you have. These were evident at the interview, so take credit for all your hard work!

2) When good things happen, good things will continue to happen. Believe that when a positive event occurs, that other positive events will occur. If you are positive, then you will see your life in a positive light, and your outlook on life will become much more positive.

3) Acknowledge that positive events will affect all parts of your life. Once you are on that road, then you know that you will be successful in everything you do!

4) Of course, by positive, I don’t mean that all will turn out just as you want all the time. The importance of positive thinking is that you know that you will be able to find a solution to your problems and turn them around from being negative events into positive experiences. Whether you experience a negative or positive event, write the details down in a journal and reflect on the various aspects that contributed to that outcome. Congratulate yourself on your achievements and how you found solutions to your problems!

5) If you do experience a negative event, do not blame yourself for it! As an example, what if you missed your train? Reflect on what things were happening before you got to the station. Was the traffic really heavy, or did someone phone you just before you left the house? If you really look into the reasons for the negative event, you will be able to find that this was caused by an external factor out with your control. Think about it, and then forget it!

6) If you do experience a negative event, optimists know that this is a one-off event and is very unlikely to occur again. Pessimists on the other hand believe that negative events in their lives are normal, and if something good happens, then this is a purely a fluke or down to luck.

Change your outlook about events in your life and you will become much more of an optimist. Negative things do happen to everyone, but how you perceive them and how you handle them makes all the difference to how you deal with life’s challenges.

Don’t take life too seriously, and enjoy yourself!