Practice Your Optimism This Summer

It's good for you! (And for the planet)

Few things beat finding a really good book right before summer and when I recently sniffed out Practical Optimism - The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being , I knew I was in for a good summer read! But although I’m excited to learn a lot more in the realm of optimism (which I promise to share, of course) I already know a thing or two about why optimism is so important to us.

This is why the science and practice of optimism is a big part of my workshops and teachings!

The truth is that higher levels of optimism will lead you to a happier and healthier life, greater success in your professional career, and exponentially higher chances of making a positive impact on this world.

So… are you ready to up your optimism by a few degrees? Here are some tips and reasons why this should be your 2024 summer mission!

3 Reasons Optimism is Hella Important

1. It sparks action

What does it mean to be optimistic? It means having a positive outlook on the future or the outcome of any given pursuit. The ability to think this way is thanks to our frontal cortex, the most recently developed part of our brain that you find right behind your forehead. This part distinguishes us from most other species since we can think about the future, make calculated decisions, and predict what might come. It also allows us to have an expectation on that future, meaning we can either be optimistic or doubtful about the outcome of such pursuits.

Spoiler alert - if you have a positive outlook on the outcome, your chances of actually acting upon it rise significantly. Because why try if you didn’t think there was a chance?

When you put it bluntly like this, it makes a lot of sense why optimism drives action and hence also a much greater chance of success. If you don’t even try, you’ve already lost the battle.

2. It enhances your chances

Not only does optimism allow you to take action in the first place, but remaining optimistic raises your chances of achieving the task significantly!

According to TIME Magazine, optimistic people have a 40% higher chance of getting a promotion within the next year than their pessimistic counterparts.

This has nothing to do with wishful thinking and everything to do with how people with an optimistic mindset approach challenges, face risks, and seek opportunities. If you believe something can be done you will see the possibilities when they arise and act upon them. You also broaden your thinking, which allows you to come up with new solutions and creative ideas, another measure of success. What’s more, people with an optimistic mindset tend to try again even when they fail or make mistakes, as they have a higher tendency to view such missteps as necessary learning curves that help them along the way.

Forty percent is not nothing — optimistic people know what they’re doing!

3. It gives you a healthier and longer life

Studies have shown that optimistic people live longer, have significantly lower risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, and end up living a happier life while they’re at it. Once again, all this makes sense, for if you have a positive outlook on the future, you will take good care of yourself so that you can be around and experience that future when it comes.

Therfore, it’s proven that optimistic people eat better, live healthier lives, take their vitamins as they should, and surround themselves with people who help them reduce stress — all recipes for a long and healthy life.

So if nothing else, become a (climate) optimist for yourself!

“Even if that better future is often an illusion, optimism has clear benefits in the present. Hope keeps our minds at ease, lowers stress, and improves physical health.”- Tali Sharot, Cognitive Neuroscientist

How to Start Practicing Your Optimism

Becoming a practical optimism is not a one-time shot (yes, it takes practice) but the good news is that the ball is in your court. How you choose to show up each day and how you respond to and address different situations will drastically change your life — and the lives of people around you as well!

So even if it might take a bit of work, becoming a master optimist is totally worth it! Here are some tips and reminders of how to become more of an optimist this summer. I’ll promise to practice them with you! ??

• Try new things — a simple but amazing exercise for broadening your mindset.
• Take good care of yourself. That means a full night’s sleep, good food, and surrounding yourself with a healthy environment of people.
• Set healthy boundaries. Feeling run dry and stripped thin is the antidote to optimism. If you start feeling resentful, know that asking for what you need and speaking up when you have to is the start of a healthier and happier you, and hence a healthier environment for everyone involved.
• Help a friend! The fastest way to the most profound sense of happiness is selfishly helping someone else (studies confirm this!)
• Start each day by writing a gratitude list.
• Start a new habit - the healthier the better!
• Give random compliments! Does someone look amazing in a dress? Like someone’s work on social media? Or is someone in the grocery store giving off an unusually good aura and vibe? Let them know! There’s nothing like putting a smile on a stranger’s face.
• Think and feel before you react. Is what you were about to say coming from old habits or intentional thought? Can a slight redirection open up a new way of doing, birthing a new way of being?
• Set a goal and act on it. There’s nothing like producing some proud dopamine hormones for kick-starting your optimism machine! When you prove to yourself that things can be done, you soon realize the world is your oyster.
• Ask yourself every day: “What else is possible?”

GOOD LUCK!

Ready for the FULL Climate Optimist Journey?

My book is written as a handbook to help you heal and empower yourself so that in return, you can heal and empower the world. And rest assured there’s a lot of optimism in there as well!

The Climate Optimist Handbook is available as a soft cover, e-book, and audiobook. Check out my website for all the options!