Career Growth - Optimism Helps

Positive people make better leaders, build successful teams, and have a wider range of career options. But what if you’re not very optimistic? Don’t worry- with some simple growth tips and exercises, you can learn to be more positive. Whether you are trying to improve your self-esteem or boost your confidence level in approaching new opportunities, here are eleven suggestions for making yourself into an optimist.

1) Keep a journal about how awesome life is.

Make a list of all the awesome things that happened in your day and reflect on what makes you happy. You could start with something like “I love my dog” or “it’s so nice that my boss is flexible” and move on from there. Keep this list handy at work to remind yourself why you’re there.

2) Surround yourself with positive people.

It is tough not to be the average of the five people around you, so make sure the people around you are encouraging and inspiring. People who are optimistic tend to spend time with other optimistic people and vice versa, so it might take some effort to build your posse of optimists.

3) Focus on immediate solutions.

It is a great self-esteem booster to take control of your problems in a positive way. If you break down big problems into smaller, more manageable ones, you can build confidence by tackling small wins that lead towards the ultimate goal.

4) Think about how awesome you are!

Spend a few minutes thinking about all the awesome qualities that make you unique, and how much value you bring to your life and others. Make this list and refer to it on those days when you’re not feeling so hot about yourself. This is especially helpful if your confidence has been knocked from a traumatic event or series of events in your life.

5) Look for the humor in the negative.

For those situations when you aren’t quite sure how you feel about something, look for humor. Try to find a way to appreciate the ridiculousness of negative situations and you’ll realize that they aren’t so bad after all. You can even draw out comedy from difficult topics; this is one way to effectively approach personal tragedies and turn them into something positive.

6) Choose positivity every day with your morning routine.

Optimistic people choose optimism first thing in the morning, when things are still fresh and new and choices are easy. One way to start each morning off on a positive note is by making a gratitude list. Each night before bed, write down the things that you are grateful for. Refer to this list in the morning and make sure your first thoughts are positive.

7) Lock gratitude into your daily routine.

In order to get the most out of doing a gratitude list, try to integrate it into your daily routine in a way that makes sense for you. If you tend to check email first thing in the morning, consider adding a few lines of gratitude before firing off those messages. Make sure it’s something you look forward to- it doesn’t have to be long!

8) Practice mindfulness with compassion (for yourself).

Mindfulness is about being aware of your thoughts and emotions without judging them- and it’s a powerful tool for building positive self-esteem. One way to practice mindfulness is to show yourself compassion when you notice you aren’t feeling so great. Be your own best friend and remind yourself that you are doing the best you can, because sometimes that’s all we can do.

9) Practice gratitude every day.

Maybe making a list each night before bed isn’t enough for you; in this case, try creating a gratitude practice. Choose a few things that make you feel grateful and write them down; this could be anything from your job to meeting new people. You can also choose to write down what you are grateful for when you’re not feeling quite so optimistic.

10) Become explicitly self-affirming on a regular basis.

Self-affirmation is simply the act of thinking and talking about how awesome you are on a consistent basis; it is basically just spending time with yourself and reminding yourself of your great qualities and accomplishments. It can be as simple as telling people how much they mean to you, or as elaborate as writing goals for your life.

11) Practice gratitude every day and share it with others.

There are many resources available on the web to help you practice gratitude, and one of the best is a daily gratitude journal that you can carry around with you until it’s filled up. Try starting this at work so you have something to look forward to when it’s time for your morning greatness list!

There are countless other ways to develop positivity in your life, but these tips have shown the most results for me so far. I hope these options inspired you as much as they did me to be a more optimistic, confident person.

Ellie Bockert Chernikoff is the author of How to Be Happy: 100 Simple Steps for Joyful Living, a how-to guide that highlights the key principles for happiness. She has a BA in English from Stanford University and an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. Follow her on Twitter @EllieBChernikoff or visit her website , where she provides additional tips for daily happiness.

Photo Credit: Alejandro Escamilla Photography via Compfight cc

Career Growth - Optimism Helps

Career Growth - Optimism Helps

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