For many years, I wasn’t aware of how “routinized” my ability to worry, catastrophize, and feel guilty had become! It was a habit that I hadn’t realized was part of my daily life. And with every worrisome thought, I caused a chemical release in my system that took me even further into a subtle but impactful state of unsettledness, second-guessing, and insecurity.
I wasn’t a basket case by any means, but I certainly didn’t live with the confidence, freedom, and fun that I live with today. And I can assure you, I am sooooo much happier with my increasing Optimism. It has greatly increased my ability to see options and take action.
Optimism—Span & Subtleties
I’ve talked about the Speed and Sustainability of Optimism. Here are two more dimensions:
Span: Are there some areas of your life where you’re naturally an Optimist while other areas (a challenging relationship, career success, finances) aren’t as strong?
Subtleties: Or, are there subtle areas of your life that you may not even realize you’re approaching from more of a Pessimistic perspective? Places where you’re 1) resigned, 2) restless, or 3) in a bit of a rut? For instance,
- The ebbs and flows of business (do you assume “there are just busy times and down times in my business—it’s just part of the cycle, not something I can control”) or
- Relationships (do you assume “there’s no way I could get business from that person—I’m too small potatoes to work with them”), or
- Diet/weight loss (if weight loss has been a struggle in the past, do you assume “this is just the way it’s going to be”), or
- Other everyday circumstances (do you assume, “there’s no way I’ll ever get my email under control”), etc.
Click here for a Coaching Tip to Increase Span & Subtleties of Optimism:
Insights? Actions?
Tags: brain based, career coaching, confidence, emotions, goals, happy, negative, optimism, pessimistic, positive, rational, self image, span, speed, subtleties, success, sustainability
