How optimistic are you about your future?

Your level of optimism towards your future will determine your level of enthusiasm towards your days. Now before I go any further I want to clarify that being an optimist is not a cure-all and will not make challenges or problems disappear. It can however change your perspective towards certain situations and help you approach and navigate them differently.

Optimism helps you live with and face the challenges you’re experiencing today because it allows you to see that more favorable outcomes in the future are possible. Being optimistic empowers you; it strengthens your resolve because you learn to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

Optimism and hope go hand in hand and if you’re the kind of person that is actively pursuing goals and dreams then both will be tested time and time again. And during the tests, you’ll have to find a way to keep your optimism alive, and one of the best ways to do so is to keep the image of the future you desire burning bright inside of you.

Do not mistake optimism as a passive approach to life, just sitting and dreaming will not get you anywhere. Consider optimism as your guide, as a companion that when you’re tired encourages you to take one more step, to take one more action towards your goals.

I can’t let you go without mentioning the other side of optimism, pessimism. Occasional doses of pessimism, or some would say realism can be helpful. While pessimism might temporarily take the shine of the future, it can be helpful to ground or reset in the reality of today, but you have to make sure that you don’t get mired in it. Pessimism can be like quicksand, you don’t know you’re in it and the next thing you know, you’re swallowed up by it.

So sure, add reality checks to your optimism on a regular basis but keep your eyes on a brighter future. A brighter future will pull you through your days and in some cases even make you a better person to be around. Oh, and one last thing, studies are now showing that optimists even live longer, so if nothing else, that’s one more reason to add a little optimism to your life.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it please share it with one person you love.