Beginning the Year with Positivity

Starting the year with positivity is a choice and not always an easy one. Choosing positivity requires a blending of optimism and realism that results in the ability to create an action plan that works. Optimism provides the mindset, and realism ensures that the optimistic mindset is still working with what is realistic and will work in the real world. The key to adopting a positive mindset is to ask yourself what is the optimal outcome. For example, if you are looking to change jobs, ask yourself “what are my dream job, working hours, and workplace dynamic.” Once you know what the ideal is, you can then assess the options with realism on board. Realism in this case is looking at what is available in the job market and how far off the ideal it is.

This model can be used for all aspects of your life. Look at your relationships, your living situation, your social life, your dating life, and your family life and ask yourself what would be the ideal in all of these situations. Knowing your ideal requires that you ask yourself what you want when you are not judging your desires. We cannot help what we want. Our base desires are a product of personality and life experiences. Your ideal is just that: your ideal. Being completely honest about your desires will allow you to assess how far off from the ideal each aspect of your life is. Even if your ideal is having 10 times more money than you do, you can ask yourself what you are willing to do to reach your financial ideal.

Knowing what you are willing to do to reach your ideal, you will be faced with the realities of your capacity. Most people have the ability to be financially comfortable or wealthy if they sacrifice. For those that do not have this ability, ask yourself: what can you do to position yourself so that you do? Happiness and our ideal in any aspect of our lives requires sacrifice. Understanding what you are willing to sacrifice to achieve your ideal life will empower you and move you towards an optimistic mindset with a realistic approach to goal attainment. Knowing you are ultimately in control of your life and embracing how powerful that is will help you start the year off with positivity. You can have more good days than bad. If you know why you are sacrificing and struggling, those bad days become more manageable, and the good days become more frequent.