What is optimism?
Optimism is a concept closely related to happiness. It is about not giving up when the going gets tough. Yet when the going is good, having optimism means you expect the good to continue. It is about having hope and always believing things will improve. Being an optimist puts you in a good position to deal with situations in your life and to handle life’s difficulties generally.
Generally speaking:

Optimists believe bad things are temporary. They occur sometimes (rather than always) and will not last. For example, your boss shouting …

When bad things happen to , they don’t expect it to last. Start training your brain so that when stressful, difficult situations come up, you tell yourself that you will get through it and that the situation will not last. Is there anything practical you can do to help you through the situation sooner? This technique can apply to small things like waiting for a delayed train (realise it will come eventually, rather than it’s never going to arrive)as well as large events such as messing up an important job …

Never, ever, say you can’t. If you start to talk negatively to yourself, you will come to believe it. So keep all your talk positive. You can do it. If those negative thoughts creep in shout “stop”. There’s no room in your mind for thoughts like that.

The way we think can have a profound impact on our wellbeing. Holding on to negative beliefs is always unhelpful. Believing we are not good enough, not worthy, fearing failure and being racked with guilt all contribute to unhappiness. It is important to challenge these beliefs. Are they true? Do they make sense? Where is the evidence? Once challenged, replace them with more realistic beliefs.

When faced with a challenge, don’t give up. If you are wondering if your efforts are wasted, look at the situation objectively and ask yourself what you can do to enhance your chances of success. An will keep trying, work hard and as such, will be more likely to succeed. They do not assume they are doomed to fail as soon as they hit an obstacle. So be persistent and be patient.

Harsh as this may sound, try to remember it’s not all about you. In other words, as you go through your day, try to remember that everybody has their own set of issues, concerns, hopes and dreams. Their actions may have nothing to do with you at all. You can release yourself from a lot of anguish by taking this viewpoint, as you are not creating for yourself unnecessarily.

Spend this week being positive. If negative thoughts creep in, stop them and turn them into a positive. The more you do it, the more it will become a habit and a part of who you are.

Get hold of a blank notebook – this is your negatives to positives book. On the outside edge of the page write down the negative thought you have had for that day. Then on the rest of the page, challenge that thought, writing down as many positive statements as possible. Finally, rip the negative statement out of the book and throw it away. You are left with a book full of positives.

If you want more harmony in your relationship try not to overdramatise when your partner does something you disapprove of. Try to avoid the use of ‘always’. Just because they made the mistake once, does not mean they always do it. Try to look for times when they don’t carry out that despairing behaviour and acknowledge it when you see them doing it.

What did you do when you were last confronted with a challenge? Did you face it head on, or did you get angry, frustrated, pass it on to someone else, or just give up, declaring yourself a failure? When you next have a challenge, hold on to the optimistic belief that you will get through it and achieve what it was you’d set out to. Ask yourself if you are giving up too easily. Also, ask for assistance if this will help you through the challenge.