What is your outlook on life? Optimistic? Pessimistic? Indifferent? Do you learn from life’s lessons? Do you strive to be better or do you simply coast through life.
There are a lot of people on this planet and there are a lot of different personalities. Some are go-getters while others seem to be under-achievers. Some seem to have all the luck while others just can’t catch a break. I won’t deny that one’s surroundings have a large impact on one’s life and one’s outlook but I firmly believe that one can CHOOSE their outlook on life and thus change their life in general.
In my never-ending quest to help improve people’s lives I shall put forth yet another list (I love my lists!) to outline some key items that I think will help improve that outlook on life and get you to where you want to be.
- Think Positive – It’s that simple. When you believe good stuff will happen, it usually does. When something not-so-great happens, write it off as an unfortunate instance and carry on with a positive outlook. All the great leaders, be it athletes or scholars, have a positive attitude and keep moving forward.
- Learn From Your Mistakes – Don’t even think of them as “mistakes” but think of them as learning opportunities. As a kid, when you were learning arithmetic, you most likely made a mistake here and there. You had your “2” table down but “3” gave you fits. Eventually you figured out 3×5=15, right? If you didn’t learn from your mistakes (ie, 3×5 does NOT equal 11) then you wouldn’t have learned your 3 table. You can apply this to all of life. Really…you can.
- Strive to Learn More – Anyone can be a master at something. Don’t you agree it’s nice to know the ins-and-outs of something? Continuing to learn not only keeps that brain fresh but it also gives you self-confidence as you continue to learn.
- Create a Better Surrounding – Be it a physical surrounding (move to a better city or neighborhood) or other (better group of friends), find a way to make it better. When you are surrounded by more positive influences you will not only be held down less but you will also be propped up more. That’s a double-whammy of goodness right there!
- Stay Fit – I’m a firm believer in the mind-body connection. When you have less physical ailments, you can concentrate on other things. When you have a plethora of endorphins and healthy hormones coursing through your body, your brain works better. You don’t have to be a star athlete but simply staying fit will not only help your brain work better but that boost in self-confidence is a great byproduct.
Anyone can have a healthy outlook on life. Conversely, anyone can have an unhealthy outlook. Choose the healthy side…it will improve your life dramatically.
As a point of reference, we are two days away from the year mark of my mom’s, my best friend in life, passing. I could choose to be bitter, angry, sad. I choose not to be. I know sadness will overcome me now and then along with some grief, but I will choose to remember all the great things this woman did for me and for everyone’s lives that she touched. I am who I am because of her and I like it (I’m pretty sure my friends and family like it too). When I think of my mother I think of greatness, of learning, of laughing, of love. That’s a great basis for a healthy outlook on life.
