So what did you decide about your optimistic nature? Or lack of it? The good news is you can develop optimism just as you would any other skill.

Do you realize how important that last statement can be to your life?

Just like playing the piano or learning to skate, you can learn to be more optimistic. And doing that can make you healthier, happier, and richer! And that’s pretty cool.

Now we are not just talking about making positive affirmations. (Although doing that is certainly good.) The real breakthroughs come when you change how you deal with negative thoughts and emotions. Or as explained in the “Hard Optimism” book, “non-negative thinking” is the essence of hard optimism.

One of the things the psychological research has discovered is that optimism and pessimism are not two ends of a scale. They are actually two very separate dimensions. And the best results come when you reshape your mental activity that is pessimistic.

You actually create a disciplined, deliberate way of thinking about what happens in your everyday life. You appreciate blessings instead of dwelling on negative things. You emphasize opportunities, rather than the obstacles. You actually explain events to yourself in a way that enhances your expectations, and thus your performance.

So how are you doing on that?