Being optimistic, of course, has mindset benefits, but did you know there are physical health benefits to being more optimistic? When you think of being optimistic, do you believe that some people are naturally born with it and others simply aren’t that lucky? The good news is that while, yes, some were born with a naturally cheery disposition, others can learn how to be optimistic. Even better news is that you can improve your life by being optimistic.
Table of Contents
From Dictionary.com
Improve Life with Hope, Optimism, and Positive Thinking
Sustaining a healthy, happy lifestyle can seem like a juggling act at times. Maintaining the work, life balance is an art in and of itself.
With the power of hope, optimism, and positive thinking, you can keep your balance and do so with ease.
Hope, optimism, and positive thinking all sound the same, but there are some differences; however, each of these mindset characteristics have their own built-in benefits.
Let’s look at the differences and the wonderful benefits of each.
The Power of Hope & Why it Matters
For some, it’s simply “wishful thinking.” For others, there is more power behind being hopeful. We may go through life with an expectation of how it “should” look, yet life delivers us something different.
We make plans and then something gets in the way of those plans: the actions of others, circumstances beyond our control like a job loss or divorce. One of the hardest the hardest things to accept is that we are not always in control.
However, the beauty of hope lies within what we can control – our reaction. When we take on being hopeful, we take back our power.
The art of being hopeful allows us to understand that, while we cannot control the circumstance in this moment, we can take on a hopeful attitude for something better. When we are hopeful, our actions emanate from that positive belief.
Being hopeful puts us in the driver’s seat and we can head in a different direction.
The Power of Optimism & Why It Matters
While being hopeful is essential in maintaining our equilibrium when life throws us a curve, being optimistic is different.
The power of optimism is key to sustaining a healthy balance in all areas of life such as relationships, career, and health.
The best way to describe optimism is having a positive expectation, a certainty, that all things will work out in your life with the most optimal result.
The more optimistic you are, the more you expect to get positive results.
When you maintain an optimistic outlook, your brain attempts to produce results that are in alignment with your mindset.
Your actions stem from your beliefs; if you believe things will work out for the best, your thoughts, feelings, and, actions reflect that belief.
The Power of Positive Thinking & Why it Matters
While hope is an intentional mindset for future goals, wishes, and desires and optimism is a way of living life from a habit of being certain of positive outcomes.
Some would say positive thinking is a precursor to living with an automatic way of being optimistic in life. Positive thinking is a way of looking at a situation and finding the silver lining.
For example, if someone loses their job, they can view it as an ending of something or a beginning of something. The saying ” as one door closes, another opens” can be very true but you need the positive mindset to see the new opportunities.
The Benefits of Optimism on Your Physical Health
With a framework of a belief system of “I think I can and I know I will,” your daily life, work, your exercise routines will transform everything. With hard work and, more importantly, a committed dedication to achieving your fitness goals along with an optimistic attitude you can see your goals come to fruition.
In the story of “The Little Engine that Could,” the Little Engine (a small, blue engine) takes on the task of pulling a larger train which has broken down, up and over a mountain. With diligence and much effort, the Little Engine tries to pull the larger engine over the mountain. However, without the benefit of an optimistic mindset (“I think I can, I know I can”), the Little Engine might not have succeeded.
Once you develop an optimistic mindset and apply it to routines, the benefits include:
A more enjoyable exercise routine
An increased capacity for a sustained commitment to your work
The learned skill of creating momentum and reaching your goals
An enhanced self-confidence helps you succeed in other areas of your life
Reaching goals with more ease by thinking optimistically
A willingness to take on other challenges in life
Experiencing satisfying results of optimistic thinking and affirming your success
A healthier mind and body through healthy eating
Improved sleep
Building your self-esteem
Focusing on how hard your work or life is or how much you dislike aspects of it keeps your mind focused on what does not work. This will only make you think, feel, and take action steps in the opposite direction of having an optimal life. Optimistically focusing on the thought process of “I think I can, and I know I will,” keeps your mindset in a forward-moving, goal-setting pace where your goals are more achievable.
The Mind, Body Connection of Optimism
Think about the mind, body connection. Have you ever been disappointed? What does that feel like? It probably feels like a sinking in the pit of your stomach and your shoulders begin to sag. Your emotions, thoughts, and feelings are all stored in your body somewhere. Nervousness can show up as butterflies or an upset stomach. Anxiety can show up as sweaty palms and trembling, while embarrassment shows up with a red flush to your cheeks.
If you want a better life and a better work/life ratio, try taking on learned optimism instead. If you think you can and know you will, your body and mind will begin to show the results. With more effort and less time, you may begin to see better results.
Your mind and body will thank you as you improve your life by being optimistic, physically, mentally as well as in other aspects.
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