What is radical optimism? How to develop a positive attitude

1. Take an honest look at your thoughts.

According to Perry, when trying to adopt new beliefs, it can be tempting to immediately jump into action or something that we think will “fix us.” But it’s important to pause and look at what’s going on in your head in the present moment before you try to change your state of mind. If you rush to become more positive without taking a hard look at your existing mindset, you’ll be less likely to make concrete changes, she adds. “Processing, acknowledging and accepting the negatives and positives in your life cannot be ignored,” says Perry. “We must accept the good and the bad, and that they are both inevitable parts of life.”

Practicing radical optimism won’t make bad things go away or make you jump for joy when your buddy dumps you or you get passed over for promotion. Really wanted at work. However, it gives you the opportunity to see the positive side of difficult situations and the confidence that you will come out on the other side, no matter the obstacles.

You can begin this process by developing a journaling practice in which you write down your thoughts regularly. Reflecting on these notes will help you see areas where you tend to veer toward the negative, Perry adds. If journaling isn’t your thing, try recording voice notes and listening to them. Also pay close attention to your self-talk in these statements. “If you constantly tell yourself that you will fail, it will be much more difficult to succeed,” says Perry.

2. Think about what makes you think negatively.

Most people don’t wake up in the morning and decide to become a dark cloud, raining down doom and gloom on everyone and everything in its path. Often, an external force can cause stress or unhappiness that develops into more holistically negative thinking, he says. Hayami Koga Doctor of Medicine, Research Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. T.Ch. Chan, co-author of a study showing that optimistic people are more likely to live to age 90 or older regardless of race or ethnic origin. To figure out the source of stress in your life, look at your environment, Koga says. For example, if your work environment is toxic and that’s where you spend most of your time each week, simple meditation may not be enough to get things moving. You may need to take drastic action, such as changing your job or life situation, to reap the long-term benefits of optimism, she adds.

3. Do a “Best Possible You” intervention.

“This is an exercise in which a person imagines and writes down a version of the future in which he gets everything he wants,” Koga says. Perhaps you want to live in a charming cottage in the woods where you churn out novels with LOYLE and a couple of kids under your feet, or you climb the corporate ladder to the top and finally become CEO of a major brand. Whatever your desire is, put it on the page and try to embody the feeling of achieving those goals. “People are encouraged to be specific, to write down everything, including their dreams and potential in all areas: academics, career, social relationships and health,” Lee says. “When you fill out as much detail as possible, it helps you see what’s important to you.”

Thinking about a future that works in your favor has been shown to help increase your level of optimism, Koga and Lee say. This exercise can serve as a starting point. People can take what they’ve learned about their priorities and create an action plan to achieve those dreams. “Although this practice is often used during talk therapy, it can also be done individually,” adds Koga.

4. Set goals for yourself.

Society’s idea of ​​an optimist is usually an extreme version, Lee says. “We’re not talking Pollyanna.” In contrast, optimism, as viewed in her research, is people who “feel confident and have a strong sense of agency to achieve positive outcomes.” That’s why she recommends people set goals to achieve what they want. “Research shows that optimistic people tend to be more likely to have goals and to be persistent and persistent in achieving them,” says Lee. For example, let’s say you want to run a marathon. Instead of waiting for your lung capacity to magically increase, create a workout plan for yourself. If you’re new to running, perhaps you’ll start with one mile and increase the distance each week.

According to Lee, creating an action plan will help you break down your goals into achievable steps, and you’ll be much more likely to achieve them. And when you achieve something, your self-esteem increases, which strengthens your belief that you can achieve your desires, says Lee. Profit from profit!

5. Try therapy.

“If you find yourself having persistent negative thoughts, talk therapy can help you untangle them,” says Perry. Once you identify what’s bothering you, it will be easier to move past it. “One helpful therapy practice is to challenge your thoughts,” says Perry. “If you tell yourself that you are not worthy of love, ask: okay, what evidence do I have for this?” Write down what supports or contradicts your theory. This exercise will help dispel the charged emotions around your negative thoughts and help you free yourself from them. While working with a professional is helpful, people can also try this at home in their journal, Perry adds.



Explaining the Optimism Spectrum

Whether you listen to a Dua Lipa album or buy a grandma sign as a reminder of your radical optimism (and awesomeness), adopting this mindset can change your life. It can help you stress less, sleep more, concentrate better, live longer, and enjoy everyday moments throughout it all. And if we can take one last piece of inspiration from Dua, it would have to be the optimism-filled mantra from her song “Physical”: “I don’t want to live another life ’cause this one’s pretty good.”

Meet the experts: Levina LeePh.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University. Brittany PerryPsyD is a clinical psychologist currently living in Atlanta. Hayami Koga Doctor of Medicine, Research Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. T.Ch. Chan, studying optimism.



Jacqueline Tempera is an award-winning writer and reporter who lives in New Jersey with her many pets. She is a business owner and a double Scorpio who loves all things astrology and reality TV. She is passionate about diversity and body representation, mental health, and the fight to end sexual violence and harassment. To learn more about Jackie, follow her on Instagram @jacktemp or visit her website jackietempera.com.