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| Be an Optimist |
The Optimist’s Creed
Promise Yourself…
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, as long as you are true to the best that is in you.
Optimists creed rule #4: Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
The History of the Optimists Creed
The books that make up the Optimists Creed are dated. Being over 100 years old.
Modern research that proves many of the concepts of positivity and optimism.
It inspires. It motivates. It can be a shining light when times get tough.
Most of all the books in the Optimists Creed give a practical path to ditch negative thinking and view life with a more positive outlook.
The idea that optimists were happier and healthier than pessimists began as folk wisdom, but through hundreds of experiments over the years has proven to be irrefutably true. (See some of the key research that backs up this statement linked in the resources section below)
In his decades of research into anxiety, stress, and depression, Martin Seligman, the founder of the school of positive psychology began to ask that exact question. “Can a pessimist learn to be an optimist and gain the happiness, health, success and wellbeing benefits of an optimist”
Years of research and subsequent studies have proven that, yes they can. Seligman calls this “Learned Optimism” and discusses the studies and how this works in detail in his excellent book of the same name.
One of the key differences Seligman found is gratitude. Often optimists are thankful for the little things in life they get. This gratitude has a huge effect on their overall wellbeing. If you are interested in gaining a happier and healthier approach to life I encourage you to discover the benefits of gratitude.
It may change your life.
Furthermore, if you want to take action. As all good optimists do… I encourage you to try this simple gratitude exercise. Three good things. Which may be the single best way to easily incorporate more gratitude into your life.
Links to Related Articles & Research
Ahrens AH, Haaga DAF. The specificity of attributional style and expectations to positive and negative affectivity, depression, and anxiety. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 1993;17:83–98.
Antoni MH, Lehman JM, Kilbourn KM, Boyers AE, Culver JL, Alferi SM, Yount SE, McGregor BA, Arena PL, Harris SD, Price AA, Carver CS. Cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention decreases the prevalence of depression and enhances benefits
Armor DA, Taylor SE. Situated optimism: Specific outcome expectancies and self-regulation. In: Zanna M, editor. Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol. 30. San Diego: Academic Press; 1998. pp. 309–379.
Aspinwall LG, Richter L. Optimism and self-mastery predict more rapid disengagement from unsolvable tasks in the presence of alternatives. Motivation and Emotion. 1999;23:221–245.
Carver CS, Gaines JG. Optimism, pessimism in Cognitive Therapy and Research. 1987;11:449–462.
Dember WM, Martin SH, Hummer MK, Howe SR, Melton RS. The measurement of optimism and pessimism. Current Psychology: Research & Reviews. 1989;8:102–119.
Friedman LC, Nelson DV, Baer PE, Lane M, Smith FE, Dworkin RJ. The relationship of dispositional optimism, daily life stress, and domestic environment to coping methods used by cancer patients. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 1992
Gillham, Reivich, Jaycox, & Seligman, 1995 – The Optimistic Child
Optimism – Clinical Psychology Review – Volume 30 Issue 7 Nov 2010, Pages 879-889
Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life – January 3, 2006 – Martin Seligman (see it here)
Optimist Creed: Let go of failure. Focus on future. Affirmation | Mantra
Finally, one proven way to improve your happiness and life satisfaction is to focus on goals that truly matter.
