To those who argue the statement of “it is a matter of choice to be optimistic”. Beverly Jones supports this idea in the last chapter choose to Be an optimist of her book Think like Entrepreneur, Act like CEO, Where she mentions techniques pioneered by Dr. Seligman -writer of Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life – followed by other suggestions. Here are some of them:
- Catch that thought.
- Argue back: Once you observe a negative refrain, dispute it, just as you would in conversation with a dear friend who was putting herself down.
- Test the accuracy. One simple way to dispose of a pessimistic thought is to demonstrate that it is just not true. Look to external evidence, and then dismiss exaggerated negative statements.
- Find other explanations: pessimists tends leaping to most permanent and pervasive explanation imaginable. Be positive and dispute negativity by proposing alternative explanations.
- Appreciate the good stuff.
- Resist naysayers: energy drainer, Avoid them.
- Talk to people: Pessimists may isolate themselves when facing difficulties, which can make things worse. When things are not going well, resist your urge to curl up in a hole. Instead, seek ways to enjoy even small positive connections with other people. If things are troublesome in one sector, like work, find new energy and renewed optimism by structuring happier interactions in other parts of your life.
- Plan for the worst. If you have a strong pessimistic streak, you naturally start thinking about all the things that could go wrong. If you’re worrying about developments that are out of your control, remind yourself that there’s no point in torturing yourself when there’s nothing you can do. But when you’re thinking about things that are within your span of control, your best bet may be to create a contingency plan. When you have a worst case plan in place, it’s easier to shift your focus away from your worries.
- Smile: If you put on a happy face and act like an optimist, you’re likely to actually experience an emotional lift. And the upswing in your mood may continue to build when other people return your smile.
- Spend time in nature.
- Get help: If your anxiety feels out of control or you always wake up grouchy, it may be time to seek professional help.
- Pray: There’s much evidence that prayer can make you feel better, even if you’re not sure what to believe in.
Moreover, she ends the chapter yet the book by:
Sometimes no tricks are needed. You can simply choose optimism. Every morning as you head to work, you can decide to face the day with an optimistic attitude. Your elevated mood may not last, but each time a client is rude or your boss is unreasonable you’ll have an opportunity to choose again. Throughout the day you’ll have opportunities to let go of negativity and notice the positive. Some choices will be more challenging than others, but with repeated attempts at optimism your brain will change, and it will be increasingly easy to opt for the positive choice.
So it is all up to you :).