25 Huge Reasons to be (Realistically) Optimistic to Change Your Life
If optimism was a pill, it would be the all-time best-seller
A friend teased me the other day asking if I had celebrated National Optimist Day.
I didn’t even know it existed.
I replied, “I don’t need to because I celebrate it every day” immediately realizing how trite that sounded.
I get teased by colleagues and family for being “such an optimist”. I get eye rolls, or I’m told to “get real”.
I am being real. As in realistically optimistic.
So, I’m going to throw it right back at those who find virtue in being a pessimist or a “non-optimist”.
You are being self-defeating, undermining your success, happiness and health.
You are missing a huge mindset to be happy and more successful in everything to pursue.
Cue my eye-roll.
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst
Before you start thinking realistic optimism is some la-de-dah attitude involving flying unicorns farting rainbows in a meadow covered in flowers and butterflies…
…read on.
Being realistically optimistic is a huge success factor for my life, health, relationships and business as it will be for you.
Never has this been truer than when I set out to transform myself and my life.
If I had been a pessimist, I either would have quit trying to find the life that was ideal for me, or I would have picked a new path in life that was nowhere near as great as the one I am on.
And whatever path I choose, pessimism would have prevented me from achieving full success.
Being optimistic is a key to my transformation and being realistic helps ensure my success.
By being realistic I am fully aware of everything bad that can happen, what the risks and potential problems are and expecting the unexpected.
Realistic optimism enables me to avoid or overcome those challenges and have the confidence to do so. It also fuels my determination to achieve a positive outcome.
By being pessimistic, I would be self-sabotaging my outcome. If I go “Donny Downer” on it, I will almost certainly derail my success because of doubt and fear.
“Positive thinking doesn't mean that you ignore life's stressors. You just approach hardship in a more productive way,” says Kimberly Hershenson, a Licensed Master Social Worker in an article entitled How to Train Your Brain to Be More Optimistic.
“Constructing an optimistic vision of life allows one to have a full interpersonal world in spite of unfortunate circumstances ... [it] reduces feelings of sadness/depression and anxiety, increases your lifespan, fosters stronger relationships with others and provides a coping skill during times of hardship.
“Being optimistic allows you to handle stressful situations better, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.”
That’s just for starters.
Here’s a big one.
You don’t have to be a happy person to be an optimist because often it’s being optimistic that makes you happy!
Wow! What a concept!
You’ll even be happier and more optimistic when you learn these 23 benefits of being (realistically) optimistic.
General benefits by being optimistic
1. You feel good (better) about the future.
2. You feel good about yourself and what you’re doing.
3. You are more grateful for what you have and your life (and you can’t be unhappy if you’re being grateful).
4. Things work out for the best or better because you expect them to.
5. You have more confidence and a better mindset to overcome problems.
6. You put challenges in a constructive context.
7. You discover unexpected opportunities (even from challenges).
8. You see problems as things to learn from.
9. You are more resilient.
10. People will like and respect you more.
11. If you’re a leader, you will be more respected and successful.
Benefits for your brain by being optimistic
12. Optimism reduces stress and the physiological impacts of stress.
13. Optimism can trigger dopamine which promotes pleasure, motivation and learning.
14. Optimism improves your overall cognition.
15. Optimism helps create a sense of well-being, especially during difficult times.
16. Optimism improves problem-solving.
17. Optimism increases creativity.
18. Optimism can make anxiety less likely or reduce it.
19. Optimism helps protect mental health.
20. Optimism helps you adapt to problems and challenges, plus find a solution.
Health Benefits by being optimistic
21. Optimism contributes to a longer lifespan.
22. More importantly, optimism contributes to a long health-span.
23. Optimism increases your resistance to illness.
24. Optimism reduces risks of death from cancer, respiratory illness, heart disease, stroke and infections.
My NUMBER ONE benefit of being optimistic
25. It’s a better way to live and be…totally.
Those are all huge benefits (and I’m not just being optimistic).
See why this would be the best-selling pill in medical history?
9 ways to stop being pessimistic and become a Realistic Optimist
1. Make an intention to be more optimistic about things. Focus on the best outcomes and visualize and even feel the emotions of the best outcome.
2. Make an intention to put your attention on any pessimistic thoughts.
3. When you catch one, acknowledge the challenge or threat (realism) then launch an optimistic attitude that you will find a way to solve or overcome it.
4. Basically, intentionally replace the pessimistic thought with the optimistic thought and validate that optimistic outcome.
5. Accept the realities of whatever you’re trying to do and accept that some things won’t work out the way you want or expect them to.
6. Be aware of the people you deal with who are pessimists. Know that they are contagious so protect yourself and maybe even try to infect them with a more optimistic view.
7. Practice gratitude. When you fully appreciate all you have in life from the biggest things to the smallest things you can’t help but be happy and more optimistic.
8. Realize all of the things you have no control over. Then either just accept it or prepare for it.
9. Journal or have a verbal private conversation with yourself to work through your pessimism and all the negative emotions that come with it.
Is your glass half full, half empty or overflowing?
My cup runneth over.
I didn’t realize all of these benefits when I learned and committed to being optimistic and reaping the rewards.
Fortunately, I saw the virtue in it and how it would help me succeed, be happier and just plain feel better.
I realized in my work for instance, that if I was optimistic about the outcome while being realistic about the potential challenges, I would have a greater chance of success and I wouldn’t be so stressed.
This has proven to be true over and over again.
This mindset improved my performance, thinking, leadership and most importantly outcomes.
Oh…and it’s made my day-to-day and overall life better.
I would rather expect the best and prepare for the worst.
So, no matter what day it is or what country you live in, allow me to say, “Happy Realistic Optimist Day!”