Do you see the glass half full, rather than half empty? Do you see the large forest ahead, before the single tree?
If you answered yes to both of these questions, you probably consider yourself to be an optimistic person. However, how hard did you have to stare at that glass to notice that it was half full? Or, how many bulldozers did you have to prevent knocking down that forest in order to make sure more than one tree was left standing?
Being an optimistic person and seeing the silver lining in a situation should not be a difficult task that requires force and tension. Living life from an optimistic viewpoint does not require you to “solve” your entire life and battle issues that aren’t immediate in your life. In fact, putting up a fight or a battle to remain optimistic in a situation is a total paradox.
Living a life full of optimism is easier and less emotionally taxing than living a life from a pessimistic perspective. With these three tips, you can empower yourself to live in the moment and live life beating to the “carpe diem” drum.
No. 1: Have a little more faith. Whenever you must make a big decision, see this sense of responsibility as an opportunity instead of a burden. If you delay making a decision or taking charge of a situation because you can predict the many battles that will need to be fought as result, you will never get anything productive done. Instead of wasting time getting hung up on potential outcomes, take charge and have faith that everything will turn out the way God intended. As soon as you make the decision, there is really nothing else you can do to control the outcome. You cannot play God and fight through to ensure that everything goes your way. Just sit back, relax and have confidence in your decision. Now don’t get me wrong, you shouldn’t just sit back and forget about taking responsibility for your actions. You still have to walk the talk and follow through. But, instead of trying to control every moment, have faith and know that everything is in the hands of a greater power.
No. 2: If you have a problem, resolve it and then move on. Often, it is easy to solve a problem and then get fixated on all the potential outcomes or resolutions that could have happened if you had done things differently. It is okay to recognize that you made a mistake (you are only human, you are allowed to do that), but to dwell on everything that went wrong or could have happened is unproductive and emotionally taxing. Hate to break it to you, but you are allowed to have learning experiences. You will make mistakes. It is how you handle these learning experiences and mistakes that will help you grow. If you get hung up on how horrible of a job you did, how will you ever improve or gain confidence in the future? The next time you make a decision or have to solve a problem, resolve it and then move on. You don’t have to forget about it, but you don’t have to dwell on it either. Save your time and your energy to focus on improving yourself in the future.
No. 3: Enjoy the moments in between. Life can be busy, and you may feel as if you are jumping from task to task or from problem to problem. It is okay to lead a busy life, but be sure to find peace and enjoyment within each task before jumping to the next one.
If you are concerned with completing or starting another task before finishing the one you are currently working on, you will most likely start stressing out or getting yourself anxious for the future. Instead, live in the present and take time to focus on one thing at a time. You will find more ease and enjoyment in accomplishing the task because you will not have a million other worries about future tasks on your mind. You are not a machine, so stop treating your mind as if it functions like one. Handle each task with ease and confidence before allowing yourself to mentally move on to the other one. When you live optimistically, you do not look out for potential issues that need to be fixed or prevented immediately. Find fulfillment in your responsibilities and have confidence that you do not need to control every moment of your life. With that burden lifted, you can enjoy life.
