5 steps to becoming more optimistic

5 steps to becoming more optimisticUnless you naturally always see the glass as half-full, focusing on the sunny side of things may notlage seem like the easiest task in the world. (And even those natural optimists have their moments of frustration and doubt.) Positivity is a trait you have to work on, but its one worth cultivatingbeing optimistic is an asset in all aspects of your life, especially in your career. If youre not confident and open, opportunities may pass you by. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Here are some tricks to use when you need to boost your optimism and confidence.1. Note any negativity.When you first respond to something, is your instinct to see whats wrong? Take a mindful approach to your thoughts and statements throughout the day. You dont need to feel ashamed of the negativity you feel, just make a note of it and think about why that might be your default response. Think about the assumptions you make. Whats be hind them? Is it fear? Anxiety? Its going to be very difficult to change your thinking if you arent putting much introspection into why youre thinking negatively in the first place.2. Fake it til you make it.When you have a negative thought, consciously add a positive one. Even if you dont really mean it, or you dont think its totally true, thats okay. It might feel like youre forcing it at first, but after a while youll find yourself automatically adding the positive to the negativeor even seeing the positive part first.3. Pick a positivity mentor.You probably know someone whos routinely positive, or able to take a lesson from the bad things that happen. Make that person the little voice in your head (and they never have to know). How would she approach this situation? What perspective would he take? This is part of the mindfulness that can help you change your thinking and your behavior.4. Be kind to yourself.Were usually our own worst criticsespecially when things arent going ver y well. Changing your outlook starts with cutting yourself some slack. It might feel cheesy to (mentally) pat yourself on the back or cheer on your own decisions, but whos going to know youre doing it? Start by giving yourself positive feedback in everyday life like, I did this poorly, but I did this other thing right, or I got lost, but I stayed calm and eventually found my way back to the road.5. Be ready to commit.Changing how you see things (and how you react to things) is not going to be an instant process. And its not something you can set aside, say, an hour to practice on a Saturday afternoon. If you try to add kind of an internal review to your thoughts as often as you can, youll find that youre tweaking your levels of positivity over time. You will also likely find that youre feeling less anxious and stressed and more open to opportunities and possibilities if youre not dwelling on all the reasons it just wont work, or why you dont deserve it. You deserve happiness, so go find it