How do we cultivate optimism when we have fallen prey to negative thinking? It is so easy to become filled with pessimism when our lives don’t go the way we expect them to. The problem with negative thinking is that it has a snowball effect. One negative thought leads to another negative thought and then another. Before you realize what has happened, you are a victim of negativity and negative thinking becomes a way of life.

So how do you turn it around and cultivate the optimism you once had? It just takes some work to regain your positive thinking. You have the power to control your thoughts. You are the one who decides if your thoughts are negative or positive. It takes practice and commitment to redirect your thoughts. You have acquired a bad habit of negative thinking, but this habit can be broken and your optimism and positive thinking will return.

You have to make a firm commitment to change your way of thinking and cultivate optimism. Some of you may be saying “I just can’t stop being pessimistic and thinking negative thoughts.”. Well, guess what? If you keep telling yourself that you can’t, then you most likely can’t. Decide you are going to think only positive thoughts and you will do it. You can do anything you set your mind to do.

When you find yourself being pessimistic and thinking negative thoughts, you must immediately find something positive in your situation and redirect your negative thoughts to the positive. It may be trying at first, but after a while your subconscious mind will realize that you don’t want to wallow in negativity any more.

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How do we cultivate optimism by using affirmations?  Using positive affirmations is the easiest way to reprogram your subconscious mind from negative and pessimistic thinking to positive and optimistic thinking.

Take some time in quiet solitude to think about a few affirmations that may help you to turn your thinking around. What aspects of your life are you pessimistic about?

When you start to think negative thoughts, repeat your affirmation until your thoughts reflect optimism instead of pessimism. Begin each day repeating your affirmations and repeat them again when you go to bed.

Here are a few of my favorites:

I only focus on positive pursuits.
I choose to have a positive opinion of myself.
I refuse to wallow in self pity - I am above that.
I believe that I am worthy of happiness and the best that life has to offer.
I only think positive thoughts.
I focus my attention on enjoying every moment of my life.
I am grateful for everything that I have.

How do we cultivate optimism when we surround ourselves with negative people? The answer is we don’t. It is very important to stay clear of negative people. Avoid them like the plague. Their negativity will spill over to you.

Surround yourself with positive and happy people. They will lift your spirits and make you feel better about yourself. This is probably the number one thing you can do to cultivate your optimism and live a balanced life.

When you are around positive people, you expect positive things to happen. Your mind is now focused on the positive instead of the negative. This is the best training to become optimistic that you will find. You watch and learn how others are optimistic instead of pessimistic and it will rub off on you.

Reading inspirational books is also very helpful. Anything you can do to reprogram your mind to positive thinking will put you one step closer to living a life filled with optimism. And this is how we cultivate optimism and live a balanced life.