You Have Reasons to Be Optimistic–Here’s How to Make the Most of What You Have

If you’ve been a reader of mine for a while, you may know that I’m working on my dissertation in Psychology and am studying positive psychology, among other things. I love this field because it helps people who are generally healthy find ways to maximize their potential rather than just finding ways to overcome more serious psychological issues. One of my favorite findings from the field is Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, which found that we can create “upward spirals of positivity” by doing little things to lift our moods. This may sound like hyperbole, but it’s not–you can literally change the course of your life in measurable ways and build resilience by doing small things to get yourself feeling happy. Let me explain a little more about how it works.

When we change our moods for the better (in the literature, it’s referred to as increasing “positive affect”), our perspective shifts and we are able to notice more things. Literally, we become more aware of what is around us. This applies to resources, and we become more aware of the personal resources we have and those that are available to us. This can be social resources (friends who are willing to help us or offer support), physical resources (things we own or have access to that can help us), personal resources (strengths we forgot we had), and more. As we use and build our resources, we become more resilient to stress and more capable and proactive in our lives, which leads to more positive moods (or positive affect), and that creates a self-perpetuating cycle of positivity and growth!

This is something to be optimistic about for a few reasons. It means that little things can lead to big changes. Positive affect can be increased by small actions we choose to do in life, like taking ten minutes to remember and savor a positive memory or practice a loving-kindness meditation, for example. It’s also good news because research shows that optimists do better in life, and this can lead to increased optimism. Finally, it means that feeling good can lead to more than just a good feeling–it translates into a better future. This supplies people with a workable solution for several problems you may face, and a real reason for optimism.

If you’re looking for ways to increase your own positive affect, here’s a short list:

• Maintain a gratitude journal (I keep saying it because it works!)
• Trade jokes with a friend
• Watch a quick video on something positive (like those cute animal videos people post on Facebook–seriously!)
• Do a quick loving-kindness meditation
• Remember a time when you were really proud of yourself, and relive that memory in detail

Think of these activities and other ways you know you are able to increase your positive affect, and see if you can make at least one of these activities a daily habit. (I recommend that you decide on one before you move on with your day, and make it a regular part of your life.) This small step can lead to a great new path for you!