Yesterday on my personal blog, I wrote about why I decided to try Action for Happiness’ Optimistic October challenge. Today, I continue that thread with a look at the benefits of an optimistic outlook, and ways to be more optimistic every day, even during difficult times.
The Benefits of an Optimistic Outlook
As an optimistic person, I always wonder what goes on in the brains of people who approach everything with skepticism and pessimism. Even at the most challenging times of my life, I’ve tried to find something to be positive about. As the old saying goes, “Things could be worse!”
Looking on the bright side of a situation always fills me with hope, so I decided to dig into what experts say about the physical and mental health benefits of optimism. Mayo Clinic provides a comprehensive list of benefits on their website, including:
- Increased life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Lower levels of distress and pain
- Greater resistance to illnesses
- Better psychological and physical well-being
- Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory conditions, and infections.
- Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
Shouldn’t all these benefits be enough to make everyone want to be optimistic all the time? If only it were so simple. Let’s face it—sometimes life is tough and it’s hard to stay positive in the face of adversity. And people who seem to be overly-positive all the time might just be spreading toxic positivity.
Beware Toxic Positivity
Despite my generally optimistic outlook, one of the things I hated hearing after my cancer diagnosis 13 years ago was, “Stay positive. A positive attitude will cure your cancer.” No, it won’t! And saying that puts the blame on me if my cancer turns out to not be curable. (For more thoughts on things you probably shouldn’t say to someone with cancer, read this post on my personal blog.)
Telling someone dealing with something traumatic that a positive attitude will magically make everything better is an example of toxic positivity, something VeryWellMind defines as “the belief that people should maintain a positive mindset no matter how dire or difficult a situation is.”
Despite what people who practise toxic positivity believe, it’s different from optimism, and it can be harmful. Refusing to hear or acknowledge anything negative just isn’t realistic, and it denies the existence of many human emotions. Sometimes we all feel angry, sad, or frustrated. And we need to feel we have the support of those around us while we’re feeling angry, sad, or frustrated.
Moving Forward with Optimism
Some experts suggest tragic optimism as the perfect antidote to toxic positivity. Psychology Today defines tragic optimism as “the ability to experience optimism even in times of significant tragedy.” In short, it’s about accepting sad and tragic situations, while recognizing there is still meaning in our lives. It’s about remaining hopeful.
While I didn’t have a name for it at the time, tragic optimism perfectly describes my approach following my cancer diagnosis. I gave myself permission to feel all the negative emotions that come with a life-threatening diagnosis. I cried. I got angry. I asked myself, “Why me?” Then I told myself that, while having cancer sucked, I still had a lot to be happy about. I could look for positives and face each day with optimism.
Whether your life right now is good or bad, here are some simple things to try that may help you cultivate a more optimistic outlook:
- Take two minutes each morning to think about one thing you can look forward to. Write it down.
- When something positive happens, no matter how small, make a mental note of it. Then, end your day by writing those positives down in a notebook or journal.
- Try to take one step, no matter how small, to make a tough situation better. Then, mentally celebrate every small step and tiny victory.
I can’t guarantee these actions will turn your life around, but they can’t hurt! If you’d like to join the Optimistic October challenge, it’s not too late. You can sign up on the Action for Happiness website.
Do you consider yourself more of an optimist or pessimist? What do you do to cultivate an optimistic attitude? Drop me a comment below to let me know your thoughts.
Learn more about me in my bio and on my personal blog at BoomerEcoCrusader.com. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.