Being an optimistic individual has always been a struggle for me and I know I’m not the only one who shares this feeling. In college, many students experience a new rush of stressful emotions and anxiety that they’ve never felt before. It’s difficult to live in the moment and have a positive perspective on life when the only thought in your head is about what homework needs to be finished, what to eat for dinner, or how you’re going to pay the bills. When you’re constantly worried, trying to put your energy into optimism sounds like something that could only be imaginable.
Currently, I’m taking a class at the University of Washington surrounding the concept of performing leadership with a creative emphasis. For this class I read Dan Rockwell’s article, “How to Rise Above Pessimism and Lead Optimistically” where he introduces an activity called the Lunchtime Challenge. The Lunchtime Challenges encourages its participants to think positively and only notice good things until lunch. At first, I thought of this as a silly and unrealistic goal because I felt that it was simply impossible for me to be happy all morning long. Completing the challenge wasn’t easy and always thinking positively still isn’t either, but it’s starting to feel less like a challenge and something I want to do every day when I wake up. Being optimistic shouldn’t have to always feel like a commitment but rather a positive mindset that shapes an enjoyable lifestyle and an outlook on a bright future. There are so many great benefits to thinking optimistically and my positive experience with the Lunchtime Challenge made me want to share it so others could try it out as well.
A trend I’ve noticed lately in society is that people love to spread negative aspects of their lives for attention. For instance, I’ve seen Snapchat videos of mental breakdowns and tweets about not getting enough sleep on school nights. I even hear people having competitive conversations sharing how difficult their personal lives are. Spreading negativity is turning into the norm for our generation, which is why the idea of optimism seems impossible. By completing the Lunchtime Challenge I’ve realized how great my life is even through some unfortunate events. Just being able to experience the small, good things in life should bring you burts of optimistic joy. Here are some of the benefits of being optimistic that I’ve noticed:
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Increased levels of self-respect and self-love
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Less stress
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Feeling productive and ready to take on challenges
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Easier to bond with other people and have conversations with strangers
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Increased smiling and laughter
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More room for self-exploration
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Being accepting of constructive feedback on my work
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Wanting to improve myself
My personal experience with the Lunchtime Challenge started with something I viewed as a chore and then turned into something that I genuinely wanted to try. I had begun the challenge a few days ahead of my big midterm so I would wake up prior to my exam feeling anxious on most days and feeling like I wouldn’t get any studying done. When I get into work mode, I tend to lose my patience and my mind scurries as it tries to get as much done as possible. Feeling overwhelmed with the studying that was before me, trying to do the Lunchtime Challenge seemed hopeless, impossible, and a waste of time. However, I still tried to keep my emotions together and push through the challenge otherwise. As I was studying throughout the morning, I found myself becoming quickly frustrated at not being able to understand the material as easily as I hoped. I kept reminding myself though, that I promised myself I would think only optimistic thoughts for the challenge. I would talk myself out of frustration, take deep breaths, and hold conversations with myself to figure out my emotions. As the days went by, the way of thinking optimistically became a habit and I looked forward to shifting bad situations into good ones. For the past few days, the Lunchtime Challenge hasn’t felt like a challenge anymore. When I’m feeling out of place with my thoughts and my surroundings I try and ask myself why I feel upset, what’s the story I’m telling myself, and how I can end that story with a happy ending and move on with my day. Being optimistic is essentially being able to be mindful of negative emotions and how you relate them to situations, and trying to resolve them.
While I feel that everyone should practice being optimistic, being pessimistic isn’t always bad either. It’s okay to let yourself get angry, throw a fit, or feel sad because it’s natural. Sometimes being negative because you feel as though something is missing in your life urges you to go after it, and that can be considered as optimism. It’s important to be grateful for the life you live and be aware of the beauty and happiness that can strike you in the little things. Optimism isn’t something that people are wired to feel 24/7 but it’s important to work on it. I now challenge you to try out the Lunchtime Challenge. Whether it be for a weekend or even a month, bringing awareness to only good things until lunch will help you shape a new mindset and create a happy mood for the rest of the day.