How to be Optimistic and Happy

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.” ~ Helen Keller  

We’ve heard many people tagging themselves in the league of ‘-ists’, like realists, communists, pessimists, optimists etc. are to name some. Have you ever realised what all these words are? Why people define themselves with a certain word? These words, basically, define the approach of people towards life, their thought process, and their perspective of this world. In short, it is the philosophy of life in the mug of psychology. 

Though as intriguing as all the study of all these philosophies is, we will focus on Optimism. You must have heard people calling themselves optimists, and most probably, you’re one of them. But how a person becomes an optimist? 

And more importantly, what is optimism? 

Optimism, like others, is a word view which defines expecting the best. Optimists are the people who believe in expecting the best. We all have heard the famous idiom which is used to gauge the psychology of a person towards life and future: A glass of water at a halfway point. 

Where optimism and pessimism are somewhat a result of heredity, we can always vouch for the happy lives of optimists. Optimism not only pushes you through hard times but also motivates you from within even if everyone around you has lost hope. It is important to practice optimism if we want to be happy in life. 

Here are a few methods which will help you become a happy and optimistic person: 

1) Live the Moment 

Living in the moment does not imply to forget the future, it is about shaping up the future. Our present influences our future, so it is best to live the moment and tackle the present problems. 

2) Inner Happiness is the Most Important 

Out life is not as much problematic as we have made it. We get stressed about trivial things like ‘what to cook for dinner?’ This thing can be sorted out as easily as changing the batteries in a remote but we don’t do that. It is advisable for the people who stress a lot to do meditation and exercise as they are considered one of the best stress busters. 

3) The Path of Good Deeds 

Whenever we do something good, we naturally feel happy. A selfless deed gives us more pleasure than doing something for ourselves. Be the reason for the smile on someone else’s face and see how happy that’d make you. 

4) Practice Control 

Where it is true that one can’t control everything, it naturally gets significant to practice it. Control, perseverance, persistence, and etc. are some greatest tools of life to be happy. You know that you gave your 100% then the future will be positive no matter what the result comes out. 

5) Love Yourself 

In the race of being best, we forget to be ourselves. Be yourself and accept that you’re not perfect. The earlier you acknowledge this eternal truth the better you get with time. Start loving yourself for who you are and stop pretending to be someone else. Life is short to live in someone else’s shoes. 

6) Learn to Love Others  

When you always find something to whine about or someone to complain about then you are not accepting the others. One cannot say ‘yes’ to something because you agree with it. Agree to be disagreed and try to understand where they are coming from. Love them for what they are as you will love yourself for what you are. Everyone have a different perspective, their world view is different, do not impose yourselves on them.

7) What Happens, Happens for a Reason  

You cannot predict the future. If you were very hopeful about the positive result but that turned out rather differently, do not let yourself dishearten. Life comes in a pack of uncertain surprises and you never know what that turnout could mean until the right time comes.   

8) Self Belief

This is most important. You can not stay optimistic if you don't believe in yourself and your capabilities. As a matter of fact, self confidence is what makes you successful and gives you strength to fight all odds because deep in heart you know, whatever may be the situation you shall overcome. 

Optimism doesn’t lead you away from reality, neither it is an escapism from the problems of the present, rather it is a science of faith which helps you to go through the most difficult passages which you would have found claustrophobic. 

Realists seek ‘most probable’, pessimists bid on the ‘worst’ and optimists hail for the ‘best. It’s up to you to choose the best path for you.