In this video, we learn about how to embrace optimism and positive thinking to improve our lives and well-being. Having an optimistic outlook on life can have a significant positive effect on our quality of life, including our mental and physical well-being. It is important to understand that optimism doesn't mean ignoring or denying the hard or challenging things in life, but rather changing how we approach them. The first step in embracing optimism is to recognize the good and bad in our lives and examine how they have affected us. It's important to attune ourselves to the full range of emotions, accepting that both negative and positive feelings are a natural part of being human. Repressing negative emotions can cause emotional distress, so it's better to not focus more on one type of emotion than the other. This will help us become more adaptive and proactive in dealing with unexpected situations, ultimately increasing our ability to be optimistic and resilient. Negative feelings can become a conditioned habit over time, so it's important to avoid blaming ourselves for experiencing them. Instead, we should focus on being mindful of when these negative emotions occur. Keeping a journal can help with this process. By writing down when we experience negative feelings or thoughts, we can examine their contexts and explore alternative ways of responding to them. It's crucial to not judge ourselves as right or wrong, but rather to gain insight into our responses. Practicing mindfulness is another key component of embracing optimism. Mindfulness encourages us to focus on acknowledging our emotions in the moment without judging them. This helps us become comfortable with ourselves, which is important when negative emotions arise. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help with anxiety and depression and can reprogram the way our body responds to stress. There are mindfulness meditation classes available in communities or online resources like the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center or BuddhaNet. Lastly, we need to identify whether our inner monologue leans towards optimism or pessimism. Our inner monologue reflects our natural outlook on life. Paying attention to our inner thoughts can help us become aware of our default perspective and make any necessary adjustments. By learning to embrace our emotions, practicing mindfulness, and cultivating an optimistic inner monologue, we can improve our lives and well-being by embracing optimism and positive thinking.
