Intelligent Optimism Wins In Today's World

With the extreme negativity on the internet, it is important to be less cynical and more optimistic. With a more positive outlook, we'll approach our future with a greater sense of determination, focus on positive outcomes rather than negative consequences, and ultimately grow into better human beings.

This philosophy was put to the test in this study which found that those who are optimistic about their work have higher job satisfaction and higher mental well-being as well as an increased chance of advancing their career. The rules for being optimists are simple: show gratitude for what you have now; plan for what you want; imagine your dream results; tell yourself these things often; trust that other people will help make your dreams happen if they need encouragement. In short, it's believing that you can have what you want.

What happens when we lose our dreaming? We become cynical. There are countless studies showing that people who are uninspiring and bad-mouthed others tend to be more depressed, lonely and generally unhappy. These folks typically lack the confidence to be optimistic about their future and instead focus on the worst possible outcome of any situation. They are pessimists - people who don't believe anyone will help them get where they want to go or that anything good happens anymore, at least not for them.

Unfortunately, many people come from a world informed by negativity which leads to a pessimistic outlook on life as well as their own abilities. Much of this is caused by a lack of opportunities in their community and to their peers. Being cynical is the easiest way to cope with the fact that they haven't had many chances to succeed. They live in a world designed by the cynics before them and it's easy for them to be pessimistic.

When you have experienced failure time after time and are tired of failing, it can be hard to feel like you have much going for you as an individual. You may start wondering why anyone should care about your problems when no one has ever cared about yours before. You may start thinking that everyone else is better than you or, even worse, no one cares about your opinion at all because of who you are.

Enter a different kind of person, one who begins to feel the loss of dreaming. They are no longer cynical and have been inspired to believe in themselves and their abilities. They begin to dream again about what they want in life because they have been reminded of what they do not have.

They see that their surroundings are not as bleak as they once thought, or that it's possible to replace the old with something better by envisioning their dreams and finding solutions for them. They begin really believing that things will change for the better because instead of them going around sad all day, they begin to celebrate what they have and move forward in life with confidence because it is something more than just a dream.

They are not the same people. They are more positive, happier and live a better life. They choose to be optimistic because they know it will get them somewhere so they never stop dreaming, even when things get rough.

The solution can be simple: dream big and never stop dreaming. If you have lost your dreams, find them again by remembering what you do not have and find ways to replace it with something new and exciting. Say "no" to cynicism because if you don't no one else will either. Be an optimist and start celebrating your happiness today.

~Reesa M. Hall, Ph.D.

Reesa M. Hall is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with several years of experience in the mental health field. Dr. Hall believes that lack of self-love is the root cause of all mental health issues, which is why she has integrated a healthy dose of self-love into her work thus making herself a community leader on the topic through her blog, selflovesshow.com . She is also the creator of her own self-love workshop which she has made available for you to access on her website.

To download a PDF of this article click here .

The information in Dr. Hall's articles and blog posts is not intended to replace medical advice and should be taken as such only at your own risk. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program or if you have any questions regarding your health or fitness goals. Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you may have read in this article.

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I have to say, I've been skeptical of a lot of the advice online, but after reading this article, I know that the 2nd law simply must be incorporated into each and every one of my future blog posts. If it was this obvious to Reesa, she is clearly an expert on the subject (as far as I'm concerned). Thanks, Reesa! Great article.

Posted by Bayou at 11:10 AM

I never thought of these concepts being related to one another. I always thought being positive was the only way to go when it comes to living a healthy life and thriving in your career and interpersonal relationships. What a great article, Reesa! You should consider developing your self-love workshop into a book. It would sell like hot cakes!

I read this article about three years ago and it changed my life. I had been in some very serious negative patterns for 10 years following a divorce and custody battle followed by my father's death from cancer and then my mother's sudden death from a stroke 3 years later. I'm still in the process of changing my negative patterns, but with my new 5 part blog series based on this article's concepts I feel as if I'm finally getting out of the rut I was in. Thanks Reesa!

I just stumbled across this article and it really made me think about things differently. It's certainly a lot to ponder on. You should definitely consider writing a book about this concept.

Conclusion

Being an optimist is one of the keys to enjoying your life and achieving your dreams. Taking action on these ideas can help you to be more optimistic, get rid of pessimism, and attract more opportunities in your life. Be an optimist and never stop dreaming.

About the Author Bayou is a self-improvement blogger who helps people find health and happiness using her principles of "self-love" & positive psychology. She hosts her own blog at selflovesshow.com where she writes about the mental health benefits of being positive, how to take charge of your mind, how to make yourself great again – all while helping others achieve the same through blogging, coaching & speaking engagements.