Senior Health 5 Strategies for Cultivating Optimism 12/6/2021 | By Terri L. Jones There’s plenty of scientific – and anecdotal – evidence showing that a positive outlook can have positive benefits for your life. Those who view the world through those proverbial rose-colored glasses tend to be happier and healthier, and as a result, live longer! But what if you’re not naturally an optimist? Can you learn to nurture positivity? Here are five strategies for cultivating optimism. Five ways to be more optimistic: Maximize your successes but also learn from your failures. When things work out and everything is on the upswing, be sure to give yourself a much-deserved “well-done.” However, optimism doesn’t mean that you ignore the mistakes and missteps you encounter. Instead, it means that you know those bumps can be overcome and you can learn from them to reach your goal the next time around.Surround yourself with upbeat people. When you spend time with negative people, you may start to view the world in the same jaded way. Limit your exposure to those pessimists, complainers, and grumps in your life and surround yourself with positive people instead. Before you know it, their sunny outlook and positivity may rub off on you!Stay in the present. The practice of mindfulness keeps your mind fully focused on what’s happening right now. When you remain in the present, you observe your life without evaluation and stop ruminating over what happened yesterday or what could happen tomorrow, enabling you a mindset of positivity.Reprogram with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations provide an easy everyday means of cultivating optimism. They keep good habits or behaviors, such as “I will eat healthy” or “I will look on the bright side,” in the forefront of your mind. As simple as a sticky note that you leave on your mirror or a repeated pop-up reminder on your phone, these statements that you tell yourself over and over can change your view of the world around you.Write it down. Make a habit of recording all the good things that happen during your day – from the inconsequential like hearing birds singing on your morning walk to the significant such as a negative result on a medical test. Jotting these events in a journal or typing them into your computer helps you focus on the positives of the day and remember them on the days when things might not be as rosy. Positivity and optimism add welcome benefits to your life – from a cheerier disposition and a brighter outlook to a longer life. Use these five strategies for cultivating optimism to boost yourself mentally and physically. Read More Terri L. Jones Terri L. Jones has been writing educational and informative topics for the senior industry for over ten years, and is a frequent and longtime contributor to Seniors Guide.