Shining Brighter Than Sunshine

 
Sometimes the hardest thing we can do for ourselves is be optimistic about our life. Why is it that it is so difficult for us to have a positive outlook? As humans we have a natural tendency to question every good thing that happens to us and linger on every bad thing. If we all took part of this, how could we ever achieve true happiness? At the end of the day, all we really want is to be happy, right? Happy in our school work, our careers and the relationships we share with others. Someone wise once said, “Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.”
 

How does one look beyond the imperfections? Sometimes you feel like everyone around you is pointing out something negative or trying to “open your eyes” to reality. In order to truly consider yourself an optimist, you have to look past these negative thoughts and realistic statements you hear from others. You also have to block out your own pessimistic thoughts that you may have lodged deep in your mind. In order to truly be happy we have to incorporate an almost a care free outlook on life. Not everything will always go our way throughout the years; we won’t always get that promotion at work, be the world’s greatest basketball player or the perfect girlfriend. However, knowing that you’re doing your very best in life is all that matters. If you learn to be okay with not being the next Michael Jordan, life becomes so much more enjoyable; you’ll be able to focus all your hard work and energy on your own definition of an incredible basketball player. Don’t let anyone ever ruin your dreams by telling you to be realistic; realistic might as well be pessimistic. Instead, start being optimistic.
 
Here are some steps to becoming a true optimist:
 
School:In school, students are constantly challenged. They frequently feel like they are in way over their heads with all the work they are responsible for. The perfect student tries to balance a high GPA along with extracurricular activities and a job. At times it can feel incredibly stressful and discouraging. Taking a positive outlook on your work can instantly make you feel a bit less stressed. When trying to get through a busy day filled with meetings and homework assignments, think positively. Tell yourself that you are more than capable of finishing everything on time and doing a good job with it. Instead of worrying about your midterms in a couple of weeks, focus on your spring break that’s coming up. Think about all the incredible things you will be doing while on break. Remind yourself that the only thing between you and that relaxing week is a midterm that you are more than prepared for. By thinking positive thoughts about your exam, it will help you do that much better on it.
 
Career:As a child, everyone had dreams of what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some kids wanted to walk on the moon while others wanted to be a veterinarian. As we grew up, some of us kept our childhood career dreams and others tweaked them a little to fit our new lives.  However, no matter what the dream is, we should never give up on it. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t do something because it’s not realistic. If someone told that to Neil Armstrong, he would have not been the first person to walk on the moon. If you want something badly enough you have to work hard for it. Think positively and encourage yourself that you can do this; you can get that internship you’ve been applying to for years or land that dream job of yours. With hard work and true dedication nearly anything in life is possible.
 
Relationships:As we go through life, we form countless relationships with many people. With some we form a close friendship, while others we may only see as acquaintances. Our daily interactions with these people can have a strong effect on us. If you’re constantly finding yourself hanging out with someone who is negative and pessimistic, you can’t help but start to question your own positivity. They may make you feel foolish for having this positive attitude.  That is why, surrounding yourself with positive people that only lift you up is important. Everyone wants to have people in their lives who encourage them and believe in them. These are the people who we can always count on to brighten up our days and make us feel alive. They go along with our crazy dreams and our out of the ordinary ideas because they truly want to see us happy. Not only is it important to surround ourselves with such people, but it is also important to be this optimistic person for other people. This isn’t to say that everyone should be extremely happy all the time. There are times in our lives when certain things happen and being happy is hard to do. However, finding a way out of that struggle using optimism can make big difference in our lives. Remember, “Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.”