Pessimism is a matter of mood. Optimism is a matter of will.

Émile Chartier (Alain), 1868-1951, French philosopher

Optimistic lifestyle and thinking is the key to personal and professional success and happiness. It is a fact that optimistic people tend to be healthier, more easily achieve their goals and face the difficulties and obstacles presented to them with a smile and composure.

So how are you going to be more optimistic?

1. Wake up with your favorite song and get through the morning routine or housework after the music!

2. Start your day thinking about all the things you are grateful for (from having your eyesight and being able to see, living in a beautiful home). Often, something that we take for granted, others don’t have them.

3. Make a positive wish for the outcome of the day.

4. Give at least one smile to someone you will see (it may be a loved one or even a stranger). It’s contagious!

5. Become more “sensitive” to the perception of all the beautiful things that are happening around you. Don’t let them go; observe them, stay in the moment, connect with them. I remember my father telling me that there are three kinds of people: the man who will walk in haste and will not watch the sunset with all that he has in mind, the man who will pass by, will stand, look at it and leave, and the man who will pass by, will stay, will see it, will admire it, will connect with the sunset, he will be filled with all this energy. The third man is the most complete and happy. So, connect fully with the sunset!

6. Live now, stop performing daily routines automatically, mechanically, but try to do them every time as if it’s the first time, follow a different way, or put an extra element.

7. Drive away negative thoughts! Once you realize that a negative thought has taken over your mind, change it on the spot to positive or think of something that makes you happy!

8. It is a good thing to avoid contact with negative people, who use to talk only about problems. Negative thinking is as contagious as positive.

9. Remove the words “don’t,” “no,” “can’t” from your vocabulary and try to speak, giving it a positive connotation.

10. In every adverse event that occurs, try to find the positive elements or opportunities that may arise. Winston Churchill (1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953) declares: A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

11. Once you lie down to sleep, list all the good things that happened to you during the day, from the smallest to the largest!

12. Visualize the next day positively; imagine, that is, all the planned and unplanned work is done in the best possible way!