Seven tips to increase your optimism (and why positivity is important)

The mind can be a powerful thing. When we nourish it with healthy, positive thoughts, there may be no limits as to what we can do. A few ways to increase your optimism can be accepting or working on your imperfections, using the power of music to your advantage, exercising regularly, trying not to take life too seriously, cutting back on complaints, letting things go, and remembering that ups and downs can be normal. If you’re having a hard time embracing positivity, then working with a licensed therapist online or in person can be helpful. The seven tips listed below can also help in your journey to increase your optimism

Tip #1: Accept your imperfections

One of the things that can make us the unhappiest may be our sense of self. Whether it's our physical bodies or personality traits that get us down, we can often be our own worst enemies. By accepting our flaws, we can move past them and start to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

You may wish to work on some of your flaws to improve them, rather than simply accepting them. For instance, if it bothers you that you have a hard time managing your anger, you might choose to attend anger management classes. If that's the only thing you don't like about yourself, then all you may need to do is find a way to fix it or accept it. In turn, you may become a much happier person. If, after attending these classes, you learn new ways to healthily cope with your anger, this may be an instance in which the people around you may also be happier due to the changes you’ve made.

Tip #2: Don't underestimate the power of music

Music can move mountains. Blasting any kind of music you resonate with and singing or dancing along with it can do wonders for relieving stress. And when you relieve stress, that can help you feel much happier both in the long term and the short term. 

Happy music can certainly lift your mood, as can a tune that invokes an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. But try not to underestimate those darker tunes, either. Sometimes, it can help just to know you're not alone and that others have experienced similar pain and gotten through it—often by way of creating the very song you're listening to. If you're in a room without music right now, you might put some on! Its effect on your mood can be invaluable.

Tip #3: Exercise regularly

You might be tired of hearing about how you'd "feel a lot better if you exercised regularly," but it can be true and for several reasons. First, you may release any sense of guilt you may experience about not living a healthy lifestyle. The more you exercise, the more muscle you typically build, which can mean that you burn more calories even while just sitting and watching TV, in comparison to someone who doesn't exercise regularly.

Not only that but when you exercise, your brain usually releases dopamine. This is often known as the "feel-good" chemical in your brain, and it can encourage you to continue exercising, which can contribute to further mood-boosting endorphins being released as you build an exercise habit. Plus, you can take solace in the fact that exercise can be an excellent way to ward off illness and disease.

Exercise may be hard at first, but the joy can be in pushing yourself and seeing yourself reach goals you may have never thought possible. This can do wonders for your self-esteem, and it can become a joy to exercise once you've gotten into a set pattern of doing it regularly. You may begin to look forward to it, which can improve your outlook on life, your physical health, and your everyday activities.

Tip #4: Don't take life too seriously

It has been said that children laugh about 100 times a day, while adults usually laugh only 20. It may not be surprising that the default emotion for most adults is often misery! We may need to start taking ourselves a lot less seriously so that we can lighten up and enjoy life. We generally only have a limited amount of time on this earth, so we may as well enjoy as much of it as possible.

Tip #5: Stop complaining

Have you ever heard someone say that complaining without trying to fix the problem is just whining? Complaining on its own often gets you nowhere. Excessive complaining can even make it challenging for others to enjoy spending time around you. 

If something bothers you quite a bit, that can be a sign that you may need to take action to change the situation. If it doesn't bother you that much, and it's nothing more than a simple annoyance, then it can be ideal not to waste your time complaining. Instead of taking on the "glass half-empty" mindset, you might try approaching life with more of a can-do attitude and seeing how things can change as a result.

Tip #6: Let that one thing go

You know how you can be having an okay day, and then someone does something stupid on the road or your coworker just won't stop bothering you, and you let it ruin your whole day? It may be time to let it go. Try not to get hung up on that one little thing that can bring your whole day down. Instead, you might let it roll off you so that you can spend more time enjoying life.

Tip #7: Remember that ups and downs can be normal

No matter how rich you are, how beautiful you are, how many friends you have, or how awesome your job may be, everyone can have ups and downs in their lives. Everyone may lose a friend or family member, everyone can get yelled at by a boss, and everyone may encounter an idiot on the road.

It can say a lot about a person if they can let those types of things roll off them so they can move on with their life. Have you ever heard people talking about that one person who “has been through so much, it's amazing they’re able to get out of bed in the morning"? You may wonder how that person can remain so optimistic. It may be that they prioritize what they will let bother them, and they understand that at the end of the day, it may all be water under the bridge.

Even when something tragic happens, like the death of a family member or friend, it can be important to remember that you're still here and have time to enjoy your life. What are you going to do with the time that is left? While grief can be normal and natural, as time passes, it can be best to allow yourself to feel happiness once again. 

Getting professional help with your outlook

If you're having difficulty maintaining an optimistic outlook, you may want to consider online therapy, which is often convenient and can be tailored to your schedule. You may speak to a licensed therapist at a time that fits your schedule from any place where you have an internet connection and a computer, tablet, or smartphone. A therapist can help you work through the issues that may be keeping you from being optimistic and happy with your life.

According to this study, online therapy generally has the same rate of efficacy as in-person therapy. Whether you prefer to speak with a mental health professional face-to-face or virtually, you may rest assured that you’ll receive the same high-quality treatment.