This article will tell you how positive thinking can help improve your personality and mentality. Learn the benefits of switching from a glass-half-empty mentality to a glass-half-full mentality which can truly change the quality of life that you’ve been living. So read along toss all those worries and negativity out the window and start embracing a better and healthier version of yourself.
Glass Half Full Or Half Empty?
A glass half full or empty is a well-known idiomatic expression that refers to how we look at things from a positive or a negative point of view. Being pessimistic and optimistic are personality traits that can really influence a person’s mindset and well-being.
How a person perceives a glass with water-filled halfway is used as a reference to reflect the difference between people who are pessimists and optimists. Optimistic individuals see the glass as half full because they focus more on the brighter side of the situation.
They acknowledge the presence of the water and what you could do with it and not what the glass is missing. While the pessimists, on the other hand, focus more on the glass becoming empty, which is a more negative way of looking at it.
Keeping a Positive Outlook
Having a more positive outlook and always looking at the bright side of life is good for your psychological health and your body, too! Positive thinking is a kind of mentality that can lead to positive emotions and favorable results.
Optimistic people tend to persist more despite how many times they fail in life and see failure as part of life’s challenges. Having a sense of positivity even in small things and giving themselves credit for their little success proves how they generally focus more on their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
Studies show that having positive thinking can save you from an early death as it promotes health and longevity. People who are optimistic tend to turn their backs on negative thoughts and approach stressors in a more productive way.
Research shows that optimism is linked to a lower chance of disease and early death. Ignoring negative thoughts and having a sunny outlook can reduce your risk for cardiac problems such as stroke, heart disease, and hypertension.
Optimism and Mental Health
An individual with pessimistic thoughts and continuously anticipates negative outcomes in the future are usually linked to mental issues such as stress, anxiety, overthinking, and depression. They are consistently worried or sad.
Optimistic individuals are more hopeful and have a brighter outlook on the future. This can lead to a lower risk of depression and anxiety. When optimists do experience mental issues they recover more quickly than those who tend to be pessimistic.
When under a lot of stress, optimism can help them see the bright side of the story. They can easily find ways to cope, get through their problems and work harder through difficult situations.
Positive thinkers tend to look at failure as temporary and they are less likely to fall into depression when faced with hardships. They have the tendency to engage themselves with healthy coping mechanisms rather than isolation and substance abuse. Optimism can generally lead to healthier mental health and well-being.
Benefits Of Being an Optimist
Being a positive thinker has a lot of health benefits. It helps improve life satisfaction and lets you live longer. Optimism can help one develop a habit of being persistent and engaged in pursuing overall wellness. Here are some of the many things that our body can benefit from being optimistic about.
Being Happy
Optimism allows a person to avoid sweating the small stuff making us feel calmer and happier in life. Positive thoughts make us less prone to freak-outs giving us a much clearer mind to see things from a better perspective. Whether in a difficult situation, it helps us appreciate the good stuff no matter how small it is.
Create Better Relationships
All of us like to work with people who have a positive attitude. Who wouldn’t? Pessimism and optimism are contagious. We want to be surrounded by people with positive vibes while working to keep the ideas flowing and the work fun. Sharing the same positivity with your co-workers will give you a more vivid view of what could happen and the goals that all are working to achieve.
Less Negative Emotions
Optimists experience fewer anxieties and burnouts. Distress is often caused by negative thinking and us trying to blame ourselves for the setbacks and our misfortunes. Training our brain to think more positively can lessen the production of stress hormones during tough times.
Pessimistic thoughts make people feel helpless and give them the feeling that they are not in control of their lives. Optimism, in contrast, brings a sense of confidence and hope.
Better Coping Mechanism
Thinking positively helps us perceive stress in a less threatening way and allows us to cope effectively. Having a hopeful attitude can boost our resilience during challenging times allowing us to look forward to better outcomes. Springing back from a failure can give us a delightful sense of accomplishment and success.
Better Performance
Looking at the brighter side of the story every time we encounter minor setbacks in work or in school can help improve productivity and performance. Positive thinking stimulates our brain to function at its bests can increase the energy levels making us think more clearly and focused.
Having a positive attitude towards your job allows you to gain confidence in stepping out of your comfort zone and seize more opportunities.
Strategies on How to Fill Your Glass With Optimism
Set your everyday intention. Every morning when you wake up and before stepping out of bed, take time to set a plan or an intention for the day. Pick a positive word or a mood that you want that resonates with the attitude that you want to reflect your day with. This intention can act as a compass to help you focus your energy and time well.
For example, you are about to go to work but you found yourself procrastinating. You might want to be productive and set a goal of answering at least 5 emails today and follow up on that promotion that you’ve been wanting. The intention you pick can vary according to your task for that day.
Self-talk your affirmation every morning. Aside from your intention, positively affirm yourself every day and don’t hesitate to say it out loud. Tell yourself that “I can do it” or ” I am happy and healthy”, these self-affirmation creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that can boost your confidence to get on through the day. Saying your goals out loud can change your attitude toward how you see things.
Surround yourself with positive vibes. Be around people who like to share positivity. Your attitude can either be hindered or helped by the people who surround you. If your co-workers love to rant about how hard your job is or complain about the low salary and benefits, you are likely to adopt the same attitude.
These people are called “emotional vampires” who suck the energy out of you with their commentaries about how life can be so frustrating and bad. Cut off as much negativity as you can and try to stay away from toxic people at work or your life.
Do something outside of your comfort zone. Have the confidence and the courage to do something that you haven’t done before. Take the first step in closing the gap between where you are now and what you want to happen in your life.
Start doing something that terrifies you with the thought of failing or being rejected. Invite that person to dinner, start attending an art class or take up a new hobby. There is no easy way to build that self-confidence but to try doing things that you think you are not capable of.
Make a journal of things that you are thankful for. Keeping a gratitude diary can help you focus on the good things in your life, things that you are thankful for. Gratitude can become a habit and a silver lining during tough times. Whenever you are down, your mind can naturally gravitate back to that good stuff and help your spirit get through the negative situation.
Cheer up. Why do you think comedians live longer? That is because they have mastered the art of being cheerful and finding humor even in their darkest time. They can appreciate the lighter side of the situation. Every time you will feel down or depress, try watching a comedy show or a funny movie with a friend and laugh it out. Finding a little humor can always lighten the mood.
See yourself as an optimist. How you show yourself on the outside can affect how you feel on the inside. Start carrying yourself as an optimist by discovering specific adjustments that you can do with your body language and attitude. These changes can help you feel more confident and powerful which can positively affect the outcome of your forthcoming interactions such as meetings, confrontations, or other potentially stressful situations.
Changing how you physically hold yourself changes how you feel emotionally. So straighten that back, chin up stand tall and let optimism elude you. Talk to people with confidence and power and opportunities will follow.
Final Thoughts
Optimism can lead to lower stress levels, healthier life, and a longer life span. Spreading positivity is contagious and can help you cope with life’s stress better and more effectively. Looking at the brighter side of things can help you feel calmer and see things clearer.
Start looking for opportunities where you can exercise optimism and embrace a more positive attitude. If you still think you need help with your mental issues, book an appointment with us at Kentucky Counseling Center. highly trained, professional, certified, and experienced, in providing optimal mental health care for Kentucky and Ohio residents.
