"Choose to be optimistic, it feels better" - 14th Dalai Lama (1935)
Optimism is the belief that one’s goals can be accomplished and determining the specific steps needed to reach one's goals. It is what we attribute to be the causes of the negative or unpleasant events that happen in our lives. Optimistic people tend to attribute causes as…
External factors vs. internal (personality or character traits)
Transient (temporary) vs long lasting
Specific to the situation vs. pervasive (affecting all areas of one's life)
Challenge #1: Challenge Negative Thoughts
It's not surprising to learn that our beliefs about the causes and impact of events are often based on inaccurate thinking patterns. Luckily, there are some ways to challenge our initial beliefs about a situation by challenging our 3 automatic negative thoughts.
Ask yourself these questions and see how it changes your attitude!
Personalization:
"Who caused the problem? Who is actually responsible? Me? Others?
What evidence do I have to support my answer?
What aspects of the situation can be controlled? What parts of the situation can I actually do something about?"
These questions encourage you to use the influence you have, which enhances your belief in your ability to steer through challenging situations.
Permanence:
"How long will this problem last? Always or not always? Is this stress really going to last forever? Can I see an end to this stress?"
These questions put in perspective how realistically long a problem may last and reassures oneself that they will not last forever.
Pervasiveness:
"How much of my life will this problem affect? Is this stress really going to affect everything in my life? What areas will not be affected?"
“It's easier to bounce back when we look for the specific areas of our lives that are affected by the stress, because the situation feels less overwhelming and more controllable." (Pearson, 2006)
Now that you have the tools necessary, go ahead and try it out.
Challenge #2: Best Possible Self
Research shows that those who participate in the Best Possible Self activity show greater positive affect (more likely to experience positive emotions) compared to those who do not (Boehm, 2011).
-Write about your best possible self (your ideal self) in terms of academics, social life, career goals, or any other aspect of your life. -Write some specific goals that you would like to accomplish to help you attain your best possible self.
-Visualize and write your best possible self in a way that is pleasing to you. Writing this down helps create a logical structure for the future and can help you move to concrete, real possibilities. Example: “In my social life, I will include time for friends and family, while still being able to balance my work and school. Ideally, I will do this by making sure I keep in touch with my parents by calling them each afternoon. I will stick to my word when making plans with friends because I know how valuable time is…”
