This world right now is a very uncertain one. The COVID crisis has made our lifestyles very unstable and caused the job market to be in a state of constant change. Negativity is consumed and advertised everywhere you look. It is hard to feel like the world has a chance of becoming a better place.

Even though I am writing this about our current situation, the above statements could be written about any year. There will always be negativity, the economy will always feel rocky, and it will always feel like the world is getting worse. It can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Despite the uncertainty of today’s world, you can still be optimistic about life. This doesn’t mean you should just ignore bad things and pretend they didn’t happen – it means you can choose to change your mindset about everything.

Here are four ways you can become optimistic about yourself and the world you live in.

 

  1. Cut Down on Using Social Media

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Media is simultaneously one of the best and worst inventions in modern history. It has allowed us to become connected with others despite distances. It allows us to develop relationships with people that, 60 years ago, we would not have had access to.

Social Media is also a lightning rod for negativity and bad feelings. It is a place where people yell at each other for unimportant topics, which leads to anger, which leads to more yelling.

The first step in becoming more optimistic is by limiting your social media use. You don’t have to completely get rid of it but decreasing the amount of time you spend on social media will increase your mental health. You may not realize it, but every minute you scroll through friends and strangers arguing with each other is a minute that your brain is absorbing negative thoughts.

When you stop spending time on social media, you start spending time developing real connections with people (phone calls, texts, or even Zoom calls). These relationships are better for your health and help you become more optimistic about life.

 

  1. Stop Watching So Much News

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bet after reading #2, you are thinking “But how will I know what’s going on?!” I am not saying you should ignore all news media, but have you ever sat down and thought about the stories news outlets cover?

  • Scandals
  • Crimes
  • Rage

Watching these types of stories over and over can make you feel negative and even apathetic to the world. If all you see is negativity (and that’s what the news primarily covers, because it gets attention), then you won’t see a reason to be optimistic.

When is the last time you saw a news station cover only positive/” feel good” stories?

When’s the last time you watched a news show and thought “Wow, I feel much better.”?

To become more optimistic, you have to stop flooding your brain with negativity. Instead of watching the news, call a friend or family member. You’ll feel more optimistic about life when you stop seeing all the reasons why you should not be optimistic.

 

  1. Help Other People

 

 

 

 

 

 

The quickest way to feel optimistic is to create a situation that makes you feel optimistic…

  • Donate clothes/food to someone in need (or an organization like the Salvation Army
  • Volunteer your time at a homeless shelter or hospital
  • Google “Ways I Can Give Back to My Community”

Helping other people makes you feel more optimistic about yourself and the world. When people help other people, life gets better. Instead of scrolling through social media or watching the news, volunteering your time and energy to help others prevents you from feeling any negativity. Helping others gives you hope for the future, both for yourself, for the person you are helping, and the world overall.

 

  1. Keep a Gratitude Journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

In uncertain times, you can feel like everything is out of control. Events happening thousands of miles away make you feel anxious and overwhelmed with negative thoughts.

Whenever you want to become optimistic, you should focus on the things in your life that you are grateful for…

  • A house
  • Warm food
  • Internet Connection (Hey, it may sound silly, but an internet connection is one of the biggest technological marvels in the past 100 years)
  • And so, on

The most optimistic people I know consistently practice gratitude where they dedicate time every day to reflect on what they are thankful for in their lives. This helps them focus their thoughts on the things they can control and not worry about things they cannot control.

A Gratitude Journal is where you write down 1 – 3 things, every day, that you are thankful for about your life. There is no requirement for what you need to be thankful for – you just need to acknowledge that you are thankful for it.

This consistent practice of gratitude creates an optimistic view of the world because it forces you to think about the good things in your life. The more time and energy you spend thinking about the good things, the more naturally you will think optimistically.

 

Developing an optimistic view of the world will take time and practice. These four techniques give you easy and practical ways to start thinking differently. Becoming more optimistic not only helps you – it inspires others to think more optimistically as well. Imagine what we can accomplish when more people think more optimistically about the world.