Last night I heard a talk by Christopher Peterson, a University of Michigan professor of psychology who said he’s been studying optimism for 27 years. He spoke on positive psychology and offered these tips for cultivating optimism (which I had to share here):
-Success breed optimism (which breeds success). So succeed on your own terms and savor your successes.
-Choose optimistic friends.
-Focus on effort, not abilities. (When you praise a child, praise them for working hard not for being smart.)
-Decatastrophize events. Interrupt your automatic bad thoughts. Run a reality test on how horrid they are. Then “fake it until you can make it” – act optimistic and hopeful and you will get there.
-Consider cognitive therapy and resilience training.
Optimism can be learned, Peterson said, who recommended www.authentichappiness.org and www.positivepsychology.org for more information.
I’m optimistic that someone will read this and take a step toward happiness and optimism.
