I don’t know about you but I have been starting to get a overwhelmed with all of the natural disasters happening lately not to mention the wars going on now.  But things have just struck a little to close to home with the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand happening just days before my good friend Clare departed for the Northern Island of New Zealand to visit family and the earthquake/tsunami in Japan with the evacuations happening in the southern islands of the Philippines where my father lives.   So needless to say I have taken all of this a little personally with the thought of losing a loved bringing me to the edge of depression, but I choose to take a different approach to all the mayhem and not let my mind get the best of me.

My mom found this book for me while thrifting  The Optimist One Man’s Search For The Brighter Side Of Life months back but yet I had never cracked that bad boy open.   I have always thought I was an optimistic person but have realized that as the years go by it is harder and harder for me to look through those rose coloured glasses.  I wish I could just live a life of ignorance and bliss but that mentally is part of the reason we are in certain situations now so that is not an option.  Does anyone else ever feel like this? Below are just a few key things that I have held onto from the book so far and have helped me change the way I see things.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Optimism comes down to three things: when bad things happen to you.

1. Take it personally (I do this)
2. Expect it will last forever
3. Let it effect other areas of your life

If you do any of these by definition you are a pessimist! Surprising isn’t it?  Below are a few things that I have held onto from the book so far to help get my mind back to it’s optimistic state, maybe they will help you as well.  (I would love to hear what you think!)

{The Happiness Formula research & created by Martin Seligman}

Positive Emotion is the only step in the formula where you can cheat your way through with shopping, having sex or really any other external factor that pleases you.

Engagement is when you’re totally absorbed in what you’re doing, and it comes when your highest challenges meet your highest strengths.

Meaning only happens when you use your strengths to serve something bigger than yourself.  (This is one I struggle with.  Do you have a meaning in life?)

{source UUPP on Etsy}

Building gratitude is one of the main ways of developing happiness which usually leads to optimism.  Feeling low?

Try the Three Blessings Exercise.  At the end of every day for one week write down three things that went well that day.  The hard data is that people that have been assigned to this exercise show their happiness goes up and stays up for six months.

What are you grateful for today?

Well that is it for now on optimism.  I would love to hear from you on what keeps you going in through hard times.

Much Love,

P.S. Here is a great interview with Laurence Shorter on The Hour.