How important and rewarding it is to be optimistic… Optimism is a bright outlook on life.

Let’s look at some ideas for fostering optimistic attitudes, since everything can be learned and developed. If you set out to detect good things, you train yourself to do so. You can always find beautiful reasons to encourage and elevate your outlook, to bring joy to others.

Optimism is a way of facing reality and approaching things: the attitude we have toward life. However, it’s not about patiently waiting for everything to happen positively; rather, we do our part to make it happen. And if we combine optimism with a positive attitude, we can go much further…

It’s certainly good to see the positive side of things, regardless of whether we’ve worked for them or they’ve been given to us. But it’s also optimistic in the sense of optimal, better, and excellent, in all areas. When it comes to one’s own family, raising children, work, affection within a couple, etc. This is the way to build an optimistic and excellent family!

It’s not about being naive or unrealistic, but quite the opposite. We have a loving outlook. We trust in our own abilities and those of others. And if something is missing, we ask for help, especially from those close to us, or from those qualified to do so.

When faced with a difficulty, there is always something we can do or change. It’s about changing the perspective from which we approach it, seeing it from another point of view, and thus being able to find better solutions. Every difficulty always holds challenges that must be discovered and attempted to overcome.

G.K. Chesterton said: “An optimist is one who looks into the eyes, a pessimist is one who looks at the feet…” Because the optimist sees opportunities in every calamity, and the pessimist sees calamities in every opportunity.

Optimism presupposes an attitude of struggle: of starting over, because there is always something we can do to improve. And this struggle helps us climb our peak and reach the goal.

But we must think about what goal we want to reach… It requires effort and sacrifice, motivation, enthusiasm, and perseverance. We must have a sporting attitude, without fear of difficulties or failure. Valuable things don’t always work out the first time; it requires effort and persistence. Apparent failures give us more opportunities to excel and strive.

Joy is rooted in the form of willing sacrifice for something valuable and noble, and for those we love.

The word optimism comes from the Latin “optimum,” and means “the best” in the sense of excellent. Thus, we will strive to be optimistic in all areas of our life… especially within our family.

And if necessary, put on some “tinted glasses” to see the positive, the qualities and strengths of each person, their unique talents. Thus, make them noticeable and grateful for them, in order to rely on them when cultivating the values ​​or virtues that are necessary and that shape their character.

For example, understanding and empathy, attentive service, smiling, forgiveness… And accepting life with its joys and mystery. Always with gratitude for being something wonderful, worth living.

Source: Excerpt from “Fomentar el optimism” on María José Calvo’s blog.

As a complement to this article, I’m sharing a video on: “Yes, you can learn to be optimistic.” by Marian Rojas-Estapé, psychiatrist and writer.