Success Habits of Optimistic People

The medical community has accepted the heavily subscribed opinion that optimism is a dynamic source of good health, reduced stress, and improved cardiovascular function.  The successes that optimists are able to attain is largely a result of their expectation or visualization of success.  They succeed because they expect to succeed.  The following are habits that optimistic people commonly employ that nurture and sustain their optimism.

1. Gratitude.  Simple pleasures from the seemingly insignificant experiences in daily life.  Gratitude for a sunrise, or the rain, or a kind gesture from a stranger.  Planting both feet on the ground first thing in the morning.  A six second hug from a loved one.  Daily expressions of gratitude normally find their sources among the smaller things in life.  Reserving gratitude for just the major events limits the opportunities for “refueling the spirits”.
2. Exercise.  Walk the dog.  Hit the gym.  Pop the endorphins.  Clear the head. Move forward.
3. Empathy.  Optimists express interest in others.  They focus outward and make every effort to view others in a positive light.  Optimists learn from others because they reserve judgment and listen.
4. Manage the tribe.  Optimists surround themselves with other optimists.  Upbeat people create a better tempo and collective spirit, eliminating the energy depletion that negativism produces.
5. Altruism.  Optimists are generous with time and money.  Optimists “give back” and recognize that the payback exceeds the investment.  Generosity begets gratitude.
6. Forgiveness.  Shake off the grudges and tribulations of the past.  There is no optimism in the past.  Forgiveness wipes the path clean and makes the hike easier.
7. Problem solve.  Optimists see obstructions as puzzles in need of solutions rather than irreconcilable roadblocks.
8. Express optimism: Smile.  A smile communicates an upbeat, positive view toward life that others will recognize and want to share.

An old joke that addresses optimism involves a psychological study that was conducted involving two seven year olds, a boy and a girl.

The boy was placed in a room filled with every toy imaginable and left to his own devices.  The girl was placed in a room filled with nothing but horse manure and a shovel.  After an hour, the boy and girl were interviewed.  The boy was distraught because “there were so many options, so many toys and so little time, that I didn’t know where to start.” The girl came out of the room smiling and giggling and upon questioning responded,  “I grabbed the shovel and started to dig because I figured that with all of that horse manure, there had to be a pony in there somewhere.”

“Everything has beauty.  Not everyone sees it.” – Confucius