Optimism is a very helpful attitude and a mental habit that anyone can develop. It has been proven to promote happiness, achievement & physical health; however, these benefits occur under one condition, a realistic stance; helpful optimism is reality-based, and it doesn’t include groundless happy thoughts or denial of negative feelings.

According to Dr. Martin Seligman, as we grow up, we form a personal explanatory style, that is a tendency towards pessimist or optimistic explanations about life events. In pessimistic explanations negative events are perceived as personal failures, with permanent  impact across all life aspects, whereas optimistic explanations adopt a less critical stance, and approach negative events as temporary and relevant to specific life aspects. By monitoring and challenging your self-talk, you can become more optimistic & pursue your goals with more determination & perseverance.