How optimistic are you...really?

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity but an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” Winston Churchill

What does being an optimist really mean? Does it mean we always feel positive? Does it imply we have no concerns for the future? Does it suggest that we will forget our challenges and negative feelings and appear sunny no matter what?

The answer to these sensible and enquiring questions is comfortingly, no. To be optimistic doesn’t mean that you have to forget how you are really feeling about something; you don’t have to deny your negative feelings and pretend everything is okay when it is not. Being optimistic is a much deeper notion than walking around feeling happy - it basically relates to your ability to make the best of what you have got, to optimize yourself and your circumstances regardless of what life brings your way.

It seems to some degree, optimism is an inborn trait. Several research studies have found that optimism runs in families, though none of the studies can determine exactly what genetic code or brain chemistry is responsible. But what if you weren’t born into the optimistic family, is all hope lost for you? Or is optimism something you can develop like learning to ride a bike?

Thankfully optimism is a skill we can all learn. Unfortunately, many of us are brought up only too familiar with the negative side of things. We live in a world full of upsetting events and everyday stresses. As children, even those of us who grew up in the most loving of families, were exposed to a startling array of negative experiences as we began to develop our energetic foundation for life. By the time most of us reach adult life then, we are usually carrying our own unique baggage filled with our individual rejections, our disappointments and other dense emotional energy which can make the ability to be optimistic yet another thing to put on our self development checklist.

How many times have you heard someone say, “Hey, cheer up!” or “Turn that frown upside-down!”? Unconsciously we all seem to know that optimism is a virtue and that a negative outlook is something to be concerned about. So we instantly feel that if we are not feeling naturally optimistic then there must be something wrong with us. Not so. Optimism is about focusing your energy on the positive without denying the negative. It is about using energy in a sustained way to influence what is controllable and optimizing your opportunities, your performance and your results.

The key is to become aware of your own energy, to know yourself really well on a physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual level. To know what has a negative affect on your energy and to learn to minimize its impact. Once you become more in tune with how you show up to your life, the next step is to generate your energy from within and not let external circumstances dictate your emotional state. No matter what is happening around you, if you can develop your optimistic attitude at the core of your being, you will equip yourself to survive any challenge, any disappointment, any crisis, and any source of upset.
Every hardship, every seemingly impossible challenge is actually just a brilliant opportunity for you to show how far you can stretch yourself to accomplish your goals.

There are many good reasons to become more optimistic. Medically speaking, anxiety, anger and stress can all do a lot of damage to your energy fields and your physical body. Too much stress has been shown in research to shorten a person’s life span; in the shorter term it can wreak havoc on your skin as well as your immune system and other vital organs. Holding onto negative feelings can even throw the digestive functions of your body out of whack, too. So carrying negative, dense energy has a significant impact on your health and isn't something to be taken lightly.
On the other hand, people who consistently exhibit an optimistic outlook are more likely to stay healthier, look fitter, and recover faster from any illnesses they do experience. You may have heard stories about cancer patients who, seemingly because they managed to keep up their hope and spirits, somehow survived and beat their disease. There is certainly something about optimism that goes far beyond merely being “upbeat” or “perky” — it’s a state of mind and a way of living that actually improves your overall sense of well being. Optimism has been shown to generate improved physical and mental health, longevity, performance excellence, creativity and success in attaining goals and dreams.

Not only does an optimistic approach provide amazing benefits, but it can be learned by anyone… yes, even by lifelong pessimists!

Being optimistic is intimately intertwined with your personal energy, if your personal energy is low the last thing you will feel is optimistic. Use the following quiz to explore how optimistic your energy is by answering true or false to each statement:
PHYSICAL Energy
I often wake up in the morning feeling tired
I don’t regularly get 8 hrs of continuous sleep
I often miss breakfast or eat on the run
I often eat lunch at my desk, if at all
I don’t exercise enough (guidelines suggest cardio-vascular 3 times a week and strength training once a week)
I don’t take regular breaks during my working day
My diet is imbalanced and includes caffeine, alcohol and “convenience” foods
EMOTIONAL Energy
I often feel irritable or impatient at work
I don’t have enough quality time with my family and loved ones
I frequently worry about my work when I am supposed to be doing other things
I have too little time for me, for the things I love to do
I don’t stop often enough to notice my progress and accomplishments
I don’t find enough time to appreciate others or simply to smell the roses
I am not as happy as I’d like to be
MENTAL Energy
I am easily distracted during the day, especially by emails
I have difficulty focusing my attention on one thing
I spend much of my time reacting and responding to demands
I can’t find the mind space to really focus on things with longer term value or higher leverage
I don’t take enough time for creative thinking and self-reflection
I work into the evenings and on the weekends
I am usually worried about something
INTUITIVE Energy
There are significant gaps between what I say is important to me in my life and how I spend my time and energy
I don’t have a clear sense of purpose in my life
I don’t spend enough time doing what I do best and enjoy most
My decisions are often driven by external demands rather than my own intuitive sense
I don’t invest enough time in making a positive difference in the world
I get the sense that there is more to life than this but I’m not doing anything about it
I want to make a difference but don’t know how

How is your overall energy?
This will give you some insights into how you are managing your energy generally. It is this score which will contribute to your optimistic outlook, general sense of vitality and well-being.
Total number of true statements =

Your Overall Score Guide:
Scores:
(0 - 5) You have excellent energy management skills! You are in tune with all different aspects of your energy and will naturally feel optimistic, healthy and full of vitality! You will naturally radiate positive energy and will form strong energetic connections with others. You are able to optimize your life, relationship and business. Keep up the good work!

(6 - 10) You are reasonably good at managing your energy. You do listen to your energetic needs and can sometimes balance your energy although there are still times when you ignore your intuition and your natural optimism! You may be excellent at managing a certain type of energy so look back at your scores and work on developing your weaker areas. It should be easy for you to re-energize your life and reconnect with your natural optimistic nature.

(11 - 15) You will be suffering from a general lack of energy. You will feel tired and drained. You are used to overriding your intuition to rest and re-energize and as a consequence are likely to feel stressed. Time to get back in touch with your energy as you are heading for a meltdown. You will struggle to be optimistic until you get your energy back on track.

(16 - 20) Oh no! You are suffering from a complete energy management crisis! You will already know this at some level but may STILL be ignoring it! You are highly stressed and on your way to a complete burn-out. Take action now to bring your energies back into balance before it is too late. Once you begin to bring back some self-care and nurture your positive energy your natural optimism will follow.

Your energy is dynamic and constantly changing so don;t become down-hearted if you find you have some work to do. Make a conscious effort to replace your negative thoughts and actions with positive ones. Instead of looking at a task and saying,“ It’s impossible,” just commit to doing it and enjoying the challenge of a job well done. Instead of viewing an illness as “proof” of how hopeless your life is, look at it as your body’s way of telling you that something needs to change, and then work on changing it.

Optimism is about positive, can-do beliefs, expectations, choices and strategies, about knowing you are responsible for your life and that you have the ability to be effective on your own behalf. The optimist learns all she can from adversity and propels herself forward towards her goals and vision. The optimist takes credit for things she has accomplished, savors the victories and utilizes them as fuel for the ongoing journey of dreams and discovery.

Expect some curve balls along the way and accept that they are an inevitable part of life. Whatever comes your way, exude positive energies to those around you, and it will be reflected back to you!