Being Optimistic When the World Around You Isn't

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmbrace the BenefitsChoose OptimismAvoid NegativityRecognize Negative ThinkingCultivate PositivityImagine a Positive FuturePractice Gratitude

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Embrace the Benefits

Choose Optimism

Avoid Negativity

Recognize Negative Thinking

Cultivate Positivity

Imagine a Positive Future

Practice Gratitude

Close

Sometimes, it’s hard to be happy when you think about negative things that are happening in the world. It’s harder still when the people around you are constantly talking about all those negative things. But you don’t have to join ranks with the pessimists. In fact, it’s extra important to be optimistic when there’s negativity surrounding you.

Being optimisticmeans that you possess an overall positive outlook of the world, trusting that good things will happen and that people’s desires will be fulfilled.On the other hand, being pessimistic means you assume a negative outlook of the world.

While most people fall somewhere in the middle between being a complete optimist and being a complete pessimist, we usually favor one outlook over the other. Learn how infusing some optimism into your life can benefit your health.

Benefits of Optimism

Choosing to beoptimisticoffers surprising benefits. These include:

Press Play for Advice On Optimism

If you think you’re a natural-born pessimist and there’s no way you can turn your mindset around, think again—research published in theJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatrycompared two groups of people to test their thinking patterns.

The first group completed a 5-minute exercise that involved thinking positive thoughts about their future, while the second group just went about their daily lives without making effort to think optimistically. The first group significantly increased their optimism over the two-week period, with many of them feeling more optimistic after just one day.

If you want to become a more optimistic person—despite the negativity surrounding you—then you can take measures to think positively and spread that optimistic outlook to those around you.

You have choices in your life. You can spend the day cleaning or spend the day reading. You can go out to dinner or cook at home. You can have coffee with a friend or you can blow them off.

And, finally, you can decide to be positive or you can just go on living like you are. Being an optimistic person in a negative world begins withthe decision to be positiveand choosing to live that life every single day.

What Is the Negativity Bias?

You might refer to them as “whiners” or even “toxic,” but however you think of them, pessimists tend to suck the positive energy out of the room.

It’s important toestablish healthy boundarieswith people who chronically choose to stay stuck in their own misery, especially if they don’tshow empathyfor others.

That may mean having to say things to a friend like, “I notice every time I offer you an idea about how you could make your situation better, you insist nothing will work. I am not sure I’m able to help.” It may also mean distancing yourself a bit from a relative who insists on sharing their latest predictions about the end of the world.

You may also consider limiting your media intake. Watching too many tragic stories on the news or consuming too much political news onsocial mediacan decrease your ability to maintain an optimistic outlook.Informed, but not overwhelmed should be the goal.

Signs of Pessimism and How to Respond

It’s OK to acknowledge that bad things might happen. After all, ignoring reality isn’t helpful. In fact, being realistic could be the key to doing your best. If you’reexcessively positiveabout an upcoming interview, you might not spend any time preparing because you’re confident you’ll land the job.

If, however, you have an excessively negative outlook, you might sabotage your chances of getting hired. Thinking, “No one will ever hire me,” for example, can cause you to look and feel defeated when you walk into the interview room. Your lack of confidence may be the reason you don’t get hired.

A healthy outlook would be to remind yourself that all you can do is your best and you’ll be OK, regardless of the outcome.

Being optimistic helps you believe that brighter opportunities are on the horizon and you’re able to put in the effort to earn those opportunities. When you’re thinking negatively, take a moment to assess how realistic your thoughts truly are.

Reframing your overly negative thoughts into more realistic statements can help you maintain a healthy dose of optimism.

While it’s not your job to make everyone happy, it doesn’t hurt to perk up someone’s day. Once a day,share positive feedbackwith someone.

At work,complimentsomeone about a good question raised in an email or salient points that they brought up in an important meeting. At home, praise your child for how hard they worked on their math homework. Or, tell your partner how much you appreciate them.

Making other people feel positive has lasting effects on your own life.

With that, don’t forget to bestow positivity on yourself. Before bed, think about what you did during the day. Even if it was a generally lackluster day, there’s bound to be something you can praise yourself for, whether it was keeping your cool when a driver cut you off or wrapping up a project that had really been a challenge for you.

Positive Thinking Apps

It sounds kitschy, but writing down your ideas of an optimistic future can truly make a difference when it comes to your overall outlook. If you need a primer, here’s what to do: Spend 20 minutes on four consecutive days writing down what you want to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year—feel free to dream big.

Consider a serious challenge you have in your life right now and think about possible positive outcomes.

Thinking about all the things you have to be grateful for, from warm sunshine to clean water, can give you an instant boost of optimism. You might even decide to keep agratitude journal, in which you write down everything that makes you crack a smile during the day.

If nothing else, take a moment to stop, smile and be grateful for the good things in your life.

It’s hard to be optimistic withoutfeeling gratitudetoward those that helped you get to that happy place. While thinking about how grateful you are is helpful, sharing your gratitude with others provides added benefits. You’ll spread a bit of joy and cheer when you tell others how much you appreciate them.

Write a letter to someone who made a positive impact on your life, whether it’s a teacher, a former boss or even your mom. If possible, deliver that letter in person.

A Word From Verywell

Though it can be hard to remain positive in the face of obstacles, remember that optimism is a skill you can learn. Start with one small step. Maybe you choose to catch yourself the next time you’re dwelling on a negative thought and swap in a positive thought instead.

If you find that yournegative thoughtsare distressing and reducing your quality of life, try reaching out to a mental health professional, like a therapist, who can help you understand your thought patterns and work with you to find better coping skills.

How to Stop Negative Thoughts

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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McNaughton-Cassill ME.The news media and psychological distress.Anxiety Stress Coping. 2001;14(2):193-211. doi:10.1080/10615800108248354

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KelbererLJ, Kraines MA, Wells TT.Optimism, hope, and attention for emotional stimuli.Personality and Individual Differences. 2018;124:84-90.

Shepperd JA, Pogge G, Howell JL.Assessing the consequences of unrealistic optimism: Challenges and recommendations.Consciousness and Cognition. 2017;50:69-78.

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